


the kingdom will fall for a song

by brandflakeeee



Category: Hadestown - Mitchell
Genre: F/M, Gen, fair warning i will be updating slowly, remember that rockstar au i outlined on tumblr?, this is it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-11-18
Packaged: 2020-06-22 05:44:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 24,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19661026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brandflakeeee/pseuds/brandflakeeee
Summary: Quick formatting note, any of the texts that are formatted center are texts Persephone is receiving.





	1. chapter one

_ **Our Lady of the ‘Underground’: Farewell Tour?** _

_Despite one’s taste in music, you would have to be living under a rock to not know the household name of Persephone. Once a hidden classical talent, she soared to stardom as an independent artist many years ago with her debut album ‘Seasonal’ and has only gained popularity. Her music reaches fans of every generation, especially with her latest release ‘Way Down’, the album which has so far been downloaded, bought, streamed, however you please nearly eight hundred thousand times in the past month alone._

_ Many remember her before then simply as ‘Kore’, her first stage name before she became the absolute goddess we know and love today. Many might also remember her high profile wedding to former rockstar Hades (who rose to fame during his days with the  Olympians ), which after many years together, ended in a quiet divorce. While Hades has retreated to a rather quiet way of life as a band manager, Persephone has moved on to bigger and better things.  _

_ She’s just started what she says will be her farewell tour, but we’re hoping that isn’t the case. Either way, it seems to be going well so far and this time she isn’t alone on tour - departing from her typical fare, she’s included an opening act for her performances: Orpheus & Eurydice. The self-titled duo are relatively new to the music industry, but are rapidly gaining a following for their absolutely stunning songwriting that is displayed beautifully when they’re on stage. They’re a match made for each other, and not only are they soon to be releasing their debut album, they’ve announced a wedding date and we can all only hope we snag an invite.  _

_ Fortunately, all three of them have made time to sit down with Rolling Stone today for an interview. From the moment Orpheus and Eurydice walk in the room there’s an air about them that seems to speak for itself - what we can only call #relationshipgoals. Persephone trails after them, fussing about like their mother. They fuss right back, and it’s as if I’m speaking to a family, not performers.  _

So you three are drumming up quite the buzz with your tour, and you’ve only performed two shows. How is that going? How do you feel?

**Persephone:** Oh, I love it! I haven’t been on a tour in a long while and it’s like coming back home. I adore the stage, I love performing. To get to share it with these two makes it all the more enjoyable. 

**Orpheus:** It’s our first tour. I mean, well, outside of playing in bars. It’s a whole different sort of feeling. To know our music is being heard by so many people - and they seem to like it?

**Eurydice:** It’s amazing! Full houses every night and Persephone has been the most amazing mentor and friend already. [she smiles at Persephone, who laughs].

**Persephone:** I don’t know how much a mentor I can be, chickadee, but you two are doing well. The audiences love it and that’s all we can ask in our work.

There are rumors that this will be your last tour, Persephone. Is it true?

**Persephone:** I honestly don’t know. I’ve kept saying it’ll be my last tour whenever I do a tour. I’ll stop playing when I feel like it. Right now? Ain’t stopping anytime soon.

A relief, then, to many fans left wondering. 

**Eurydice:** Don’t worry, we’ll make sure she goes on tour with us when we launch ours. Payback for this one. [she nudges Persephone’s shoulder, who grins].

So Persephone, you have an album that just came out last week. And Orpheus & Eurydice, your debut album will be releasing mid-way through your tour. Do any of you care to talk about it? The process, how you feel about it, anything?

**Orpheus:** It’s a bit nerve wracking, if I’m honest. Before I only really wrote songs for Eurydice to sing, or for us to sing together. I still do that, but those lyrics are going to be going so much farther now. I try to put messages in our songs, meaningful things, moments we share. Like one of our songs ‘Come Home With Me’ is about our, er, disaster of a first date. Not exactly a story I wanted out there, but Eurydice insisted we include it in the album.

**Eurydice:** It’s an amazing story. We were on a blind date and he literally asked me to come home with him immediately.

Clearly it worked?

**Eurydice:** [she laughs and rests her head on Orpheus’ shoulder for a moment] Yes! It did. And we’ve never looked back. But I’m excited for the album. We have some content we’ve been doing on the tour but some other stuff we haven’t released and won’t be released until you hear it on the album. 

And yours, Persephone?

**Persephone:** This album is very different for me. Comes from a different place than my last one. The songs are more personal, you know? I took some time off from everything and everyone and that’s when a lot of the songs happened, just me taking pen to paper and writing down my thoughts and feelings and putting chords to them. It’s different, but in a good way. People seem to like it, and I’ve had such an outpouring of kindness by my fans who relate to some of the things I mention in my songs and it’s just been . . . I’m blown away, completely.

Do any of you have a favorite song from your albums?

**Orpheus:** That’s tough. I’m really fond of ‘Red’ though.

**Eurydice:** Ooh, I do like that one. But I think ‘Flowers’ is probably my favorite at the moment. It changes, honestly. 

**Persephone:** Aw, man - do I have to choose? I’m so bad at it! [she laughs] Just the whole album is my favorite. I can’t pick a song. It’d be like choosing a favorite kid.

Aren’t these two your favorite kids?

**Persephone:** Oh, absolutely. [she slings her arms around the pair beside her] Love ‘em to death. 

**Eurydice:** Thanks, mom.

Orpheus and Eurydice - you recently set a wedding date. How is that going?

**Orpheus:** Great!

**Eurydice:** Terrible.

Uh?

**Eurydice:** Wedding planning is the worst. If I had my way we’d shotgun in Vegas.

**Orpheus:** I mean, we still could.

**Eurydice:** We might. 

**Persephone:** If I’m not invited, you’re banned from my house.

Anything special in that department going on for you, Persephone?

**Persephone:** That would be telling now, wouldn’t it? [she winks, grinning mysteriously] There could be a song or two dedicated to a special someone on my album. 

**Eurydice** : It’s your dog isn’t it?

I wholly support this. You guys have some really great chemistry together. No one seems to really know the story of how you met, though. Care to elaborate?

**Eurydice:** I met Orpheus in college and we’ve been inseparable. 

**Orpheus:** It’s true. Sadly. Very, er, not-exciting.

And how did you hear about them, Persephone? Enough to bring them on as your opening?

**Persephone:** It was the strangest thing, really. Their manager connect me.

Their manager is Hades, correct?

**Persephone:** Yes. He and I - well, we’re still on talking terms. And he called me up one afternoon and asked me about the possibility. I hadn’t heard their music before, so I did what anyone does and used the old internet and listened to their stuff, and fell in love. Called him back an hour later and made sure they were booked with me. 

_ The rest of the conversation is truly nothing of note, more praises and such for each other. It’s a positive environment and even I feel brighter when our time together is up. As if the sun itself is in the room with them. It’s easy to see why the whole world seems to be in love with them.  _

_ Their tour, called the ‘Livin’ it Up’ tour is set to continue in London next week before it crosses to the United States for the remainder. Tickets are still on sale, but grab them fast as the shows are selling out nightly. Tickets are also available for meet-and-greets in select cities. If you’re not already, make sure to follow all three of these icons on their various social media platforms for more inside scoops and general hilarity. I know I do! _

\----

“Dude, one mention and the internet is literally going insane again.” 

Persephone lifted her head from where she was absently plucking notes on the keyboard, linking chords together on the spot. Eurydice was nearby scrolling across her phone screen; Persephone had left hers in her dressing room for that very reason. All around them the crew was setting up the stage for the concert that evening in the midst of London’s O-2. Sound check would be in a few, and she’d gotten lost in thought while waiting for them to finish rigging and the sort. 

“About the interview?” She guessed dryly, and Eurydice nodded.

“Your shippers.”

“Ah, naturally. Have they started drawing flattering fanart again?”

“Did they ever stop?”

Persephone laughed, slamming her fingers down onto the keyboard to create a general cacophony of notes with no meaning. Eurydice jumped slightly at the sharp noise. Her fans were lovely, all of them. And very talented with the variety of things she received as fanmail or in mentions on the internet. Some had gotten rather risque in all manner of things depending on what relationship they envisioned her in. Usually it was Hades. 

Her gaze snapped up to the back of the arena. She couldn’t see him, but  _ knew _ he was there. Could feel it. She’d spotted a glimpse of his pinstripes earlier but he’d been avoiding her, despite the whole thing being his idea. For the two performances prior he had managed to avoid her because they were relatively close to home and they wouldn’t be staying in hotels or buses. That would certainly change when they crossed to the States. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t a bit excited about the prospect. Still, there was a sinking stone of a feeling in the pit of her stomach. 

They’d divorced for a reason. They’d no doubt be at each other’s throats the entire tour. Persephone wasn’t sure she had the energy to fight. She was too damn old for it. So was he, given his number of years ahead of her. Yet damned if she wasn’t looking  _ forward _ to it. It wasn’t as if she’d not seen him in the years since their separation, but those had all been public situations where they’d played nice for the sake of it. This would be . . . well,  _ different _ . 

No, the little inner voice told her. She needed to focus on her music. Her career. Her  _ life _ . She had a life outside of him and refused to be suffocated again. 

Their stage manager, Harmonia, called for sound check and she took up her fiddle from it’s stand. She had a full band backing her songs, but rarely she would pull out the instrument to play and accompany herself, or do a bit of instrumental work. The strings sang across the speakers in a perfect sigh. Her voice joined in, belting out a few of the lyrics from one of her songs. Orpheus and Eurydice joined her in harmonies for their own soundcheck before they had their individual ones. 

The entire time Persephone felt eyes on her. She still couldn’t see him, but he  _ knew _ it was him. Had to be. 

She vacated the stage quickly after that, seeking the sanctuary of her dressing room. It was quiet and cool, stocked to the nines with anything she could want for food or drink. Skipping the water, she went straight for the minibar and poured a shot of whiskey. Drank it. Poured another, thought better of it, and grabbed a bottle of water instead with a huff. 

“Apparently I don’t need to be drunk off my mind to make stupid decisions.” She muttered to herself. What the hell had she been thinking? Sure, she’d been happy to invite Eurydice and Orpheus on tour with her - on the caveat Hades came with them. As their band manager it was his duty and she would have no excuse as to why he couldn’t. Stranger still - why the  _ hell _ had he agreed? He hated touring. Had said so the entire time she’d been gone when they’d been married. Had lamented the days he’d spent on tour with his brothers in that shitty, questionable band of theirs. 

Oh, Persphone feared she was going to regret this. Hard. 

She snatched her phone off the vanity and paused, frowning. There was a single red carnation in front of the mirror. No note, no nothing. Something in her heart warmed and the rock in her stomach twisted. 

Damn him. 

Still, she picked it up with delicate fingers, admiring the vibrancy of the flower. She sighed.

_ Damn him _ .

Persephone tucked it neatly behind her ear, and on a whim took a selfie. She wasn’t much of a  _ great _ social media user, but she tried. She posted it immediately to instagram, which was connected to her twitter. Immediately her phone exploded with notifications.

**@theladypersephone:** Who could use a pick me up? Follow me way down tonight! 

She could see what Eurydice had been talking about as she haphazardly scrolled through instant replies and retweets and likes. 

**@boomboomkerchoo:** CARNATION. tell me i’m not reading into this pls. it’s their flower.

**@karliecarlie (in reply to @boomboomkerchoo):** #hadesandpersephone

**@queensnow:** relax you animals her album cover is a carnation

**@queensnow (in reply to @queensnow):** and also orpheus and eurydice have the same flower imagery. 

**@boomboomkerchoo (in reply to @queensnow):** don’t rain on our parade.

Oh, she was sorely tempted to like that one. She continued.

**@oooorpheus (in reply to @theladypersephone):** can't wait! 😁👍⚘❤🤟🔥🎵🎸

**@songbird (in reply to @oooorpheus and @theladypersephone)** : Same. Without the overuse of emojis gods orpheus chill pls before you make us look lame.

Those two both got likes. Persephone took a breath, kicking her boots off to a corner. There was still time before the concert. Enough for her to slip into her usual routine of meditation and yoga to keep from stressing the ever living fuck out. Tours were stressful enough, and now with the added baggage she’d brought down on her own head it felt far more tense than before. Gods above she’d need a spa day before the week was through. 

Deep breath in, out in seven.

She could do this. She would manage this tour. She would manage her ex-husband. How hard could it be?

Deep breath in, out in seven. 

Maybe she’d start heavily drinking again. 

Deep breath in, out in seven. 

She winced as the tension seized her muscles for a moment, knotting up her shoulders. What an idiot. Idiot, idiot, idiot. Her fists clenched for a moment, finding it difficult to focus. What a foolish,  _ stupid _ mistake it was.

Someone knocked sharply on the door of her dressing room.

Speaking of stupid decisions. 

“Come in.” She called, but made no immediate move to halt in her exercise. She smelled him before he even stepped inside, the same cologne he’d worn since the day she’d met him clinging to his blazer coat. The rock in the pit of her stomach sank further as she used a spare bit of blank wall to prop herself up into an arm-stand. Her muscles gave an ache of protest, burning sharply and Persephone ignored them as much as she wanted to ignore the man now standing in her dressing room with his usual frown - though from her position upside down it looked more like a queer smile. 

“When I said I wanted to be left alone, it wasn’t just for the roadies. Meant you, too.” She remarked dryly. 

His frown only deepened, briefly, yet he made no move to sit. Only stood there like he wasn’t sure what to do with himself. Even from this angle Persephone could see time hadn’t changed much in him, besides being a bit more grey around the temples and maybe a few more lines on his face. At least he’d shaved that stubble that made him look vaguely homeless. The pinstripes were still his choice of fashion. She hated those things.

No, her ex husband was still handsome as ever. 

“Are you going to tell me why you ever demanded this conditional agreement?” He rumbled, voice like gravel, deep in his chest. Low as the bass he’d once played. 

“Nope.” She answered, mostly because she still didn’t have an answer for herself, let alone him. “Thanks for the flower though.” She added because she thought she should. He hummed in vagueness that meant neither acceptance or denial. 

Deep breath in, out in seven.

“You sound amazing.” He continued in that surly tone.

“In general? I know.”

“Your performances. Your songs. I - they’re nice.”

“Compliment accepted.” She hummed, feeling the blood rushing to her head. She pushed away from the wall and landed neatly on her back, now staring right side up at him. He hadn’t moved, only watched her with those same steely eyes she’d fallen in love with ages ago. The rock in her stomach did a flip.

“You gonna stand in my room all night?” She arched a brow. He opened his mouth, thought better of it, then snapped it shut. He promptly slipped from the room without another word, and Persephone huffed.

  
Yeah. It was gonna be a real gods damned  _ great _ tour.


	2. chapter two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick formatting note, any of the texts that are formatted center are texts Persephone is receiving.

There was something disgustingly familiar about being at a diner in an unnamed city at two in the morning.

Persephone watched the steam from her coffee unfurl from the surface, the inky black substance a thick sludge when she took a drink. The perils of touring, she had learned a very long time ago, included questionable coffee and excuses to eat breakfast at two in the morning. She speared another bite of potato, only half paying attention to the soft din of noise around her. Some of the traveling crew had stopped with them, several burly men in all black gathered around one table and looking literally dead to the world as they inhaled coffee and eggs like their lives depended on it. Harmonia was sitting at the counter that wrapped around the kitchen of the dinner, a plethora of binders and meticulously organized papers spread out before her. That was her usual, being the flawlessly effective tour manager she was. 

The body guards were next, though they were useless at the moment; not a soul was in the diner except their entourage and the kitchen and wait staff. The perks of being up at gods awful hours, she reckoned. They came in handy in most other places, though, keeping avid fans from swamping them. 

Orpheus and Eurydice were crammed into a booth with Persephone, sitting across from each other. Persephone had taken the window seat on the bench with Orpheus, preferring to stare out the window past the peeling lettering of the 24 hour sign. Once upon a time she would have been regaling stories to the duo with her, or whoever happened to be sitting at her table. She'd also usually be completely intoxicated still as well. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been in a diner dive completely sober. 

Hades had joined them in a rare form, sitting across from Persephone on the booth bench with Eurydice. He'd barely touched his food, but had gone through three cups of coffee and was working on his fourth. The bluetooth piece in his ear was off, but the way he was furrowing his brow at his phone told her he was still working.  _ Who the hell sends emails at two in the morning _ ?

Glancing away from the empty parking lot, Persephone took another sip of the motor oil coffee and shoved more toast into her mouth. The music playing from the old jukebox in the corner was droning in her ear - gods, she just wanted to get the hell back on the bus and head on to the venue for the next two nights. Preferably while she slept in the back, which was how she often spent traveling between cities. The vague silence that settled over the table made Persephone realise she had been addressed. 

"---mhm?" She made a noise around a mouthful of eggs, swallowing a bit too quickly. "Sorry - what?"

"Just seeing if you were still with us.” Eurydice said, smiling far too brightly for it being two in the damn morning. 

“Barely.” She mumbled. “What did I miss?”

“We were just talking about Hermes. You really sure he wants us on his show?”

Persephone’s half brother, Hemes, had made a name for himself in entertainment as well, albeit a different kind than her chosen path. The old gossip had fit right in with the rest of the late night show hosts, and had landed himself an Emmy for his trouble. Before she’d even announced her tour with Orpheus and Eurydice he’d been nagging for the three of them to make an appearance. She’d made an appearance twice before when he’d just been starting out before they’d both made names for themselves respectively, and he was still her favorite host out of the lot of the late night ones. She couldn’t tell Kimmel or Fallon apart half the time, and Corden made her eat weird shit; with Hermes it was just puns, jokes, and the occasional embarrassing photo from their childhood together or game of charades.

“Sure thing, chickadee.” She smiled tiredly. “Wants the two of you on for an interview all your own, and a performance. Me too. We’ll record back to back once we get closer to LA.”

“You mean that show isn’t actually live?” Orpheus frowned.

“Not usually, I’m afraid. We’ll have to record it all in one day, as Harmonia assures me we can’t afford to be behind schedule.” She said the last in a poor imitation of their tour manager’s voice, which garnered her a vaguely threatening expression from the woman at the bar. Persephone blew her a kiss. 

“He’s already contacted me to set up everything.” Hades spoke suddenly, the first she had heard him speak all night. Wonders never ceased, apparently. “It’ll be sorted before you get there.”

“Cool.” Eurydice grinned. “It’ll be amazing.”

“You haven’t met Hermes yet.” Hades rumbled. 

“Yeah, we all know you don’t like him.” Persephone retorted; it was practically instinctive. Hades’ gaze snapped to her and she could practically see the life drain from him. Guilt shot through her belly, but then he looked back down at his phone and she looked back out to the parking lot and the moment was shattered. It was damned weird to be so close to her ex-husband, much less with the knowledge she’d be in close proximity with him the next few months. Before, it hadn’t been bad because they’d flown separately to their starting city, and Hades had been traveling separately from them for the first few venues with the excuse of business. Now he didn’t have the excuse and while they wouldn’t be sharing the same tour bus, he would still be there far too much for it to feel comfortable. Persephone was already questioning her sanity at the time of the offer. 

Gods above, she wanted a  _ drink _ .

But no. She’d been doing decently with sobriety, and intended to keep that streak. Rehab was not a good look and she’d done well enough to keep out of it, even on some of her more darker days. Her tendency toward alcoholism in years previous had not helped the dissolution of her marriage; she’d kept it from the public eye, but when she’d woken in Hermes’ apartment after a two and a half day bender it had jerked her to reality. That had been half a decade ago. She often got the urge to drink when stressed, but Persephone was quite proud to say she only drank at social events now.

She took another swig of her coffee, flinching as it burned her throat on the way down and settled in her stomach, thick and bitter. Eurydice and Orpheus had quietly picked the conversation back up, but she did not join - neither did Hades, who pointedly had his nose buried in the phone again. Brows furrowed, Persephone picked her phone off the table and it flared to life beneath her touch. 

_ [ text: your face is gonna grow to that phone ] _

She wasn’t sure if he received the text; his face betrayed nothing. Evidentially he did, however, as his name popped up on her screen next to his reply.

_ [ My work is never done. : text ] _

_ [ text: clearly. give it a rest. ] _

_ [ Pot, kettle. : text ] _

_ [ text: i ain’t got my nose stuck in my phone. eat your damn food. ] _

_ [ Last I checked, you revoked your ability to nag me when you signed the divorce papers. : text ] _

Persephone’s phone hit the surface of the table a bit harder than she meant, earning her looks from both Eurydice and Orpheus. Huffing, she plastered on a vague smile.

“I’m going back to the bus. See you in the morning.”

After Orpheus let her out, she put several bills down on the table without really paying attention to the denominations. Guess she deserved the snip from Hades, given she’d done the same not minutes earlier - but gods above if it didn’t absolutely  _ infuriate _ her. The bell above the door to the diner jingled almost violently as she stepped out into the parking lot. A breath of fresh air would do her good - and it did, except ease the tension in her shoulders that had been there since they’d started. Reaching for the pocket of her jeans, she pulled out the other half of the cigarette she’d been smoking earlier and lit it, taking a long drag. The tip of it glowed dimly in the flickering parking lot lighting as she crossed toward the buses parked at the far edge of the lot to avoid taking up space - as if anyone else was going to be there at two in the morning. Another drag, and she exhaled smoke into the cool night air. Another bad habit, one slightly more difficult to break. Hades did not help - and he certainly didn’t help her urge to drink with his assinine comments. 

Then again, she’d started it. He’d only played along with the game she set. Damn it all, why couldn’t she act like a decent human being? Scowling at herself, she glanced back toward the diner. None of them had moved, but she could catch Hades staring out the window at her retreating frame. She practically inhaled the rest of the cigarette and stomped it out beneath her boot against the pavement. Plucking the butt of it off the ground, she tossed it into the garbage bin as she climbed back on board the tour bus. 

Her phone immediately vibrated in her pocket. 

_ [ Sorry. : text ] _

Persephone inhaled sharply, and threw herself onto the sofa. The tour bus itself was relatively nice compared to what she’d seen of some tours. It was plenty enough space, with a small living room, a kitchenette, and beds toward the back. Nothing special, but she had made the space somewhat homey with several of her potted plants, and photos stuck to the fridge with magnets. The style was very welcoming, a veritable sanctuary on wheels. In truth she could have pulled a fit and gotten the bus to herself, but rather than add to the costs and footprint of the touring company she’d offered Eurydice and Orpheus space on her bus. She’d offered Hades too, but he’d kindly refused. 

Running a hand over her face, Persephone stared at the text from Hades and ignored the way it made her gut twist, the toxic coffee and questionable eggs whirling in a pit of despair. 

The divorce was a sore subject at best. Even from him. Especially from him. In absolute truth, it had been a rash decision made in anger on her part, and by the time she’d realised the implications he’d already drawn up the paperwork and they’d been too far gone to recover - so she’d assumed. So she’d signed, he got the house, she got the dog, and they’d gone on their separate ways. If only it had been that easy for her head and heart. She’d always hoped to fall in love, but she’d never planned to fall out of it - and in an even bigger truth, she  _ hadn’t _ . But she wasn’t about to admit that to any living soul.

She heard a large ‘thump’ from the back of the bus and claws on tile. A great black dog padded from the darkness, nudging it’s nose against her leg immediately. She ruffled the creature behind the ears a moment before it decided it’d rather be a lap dog; he leapt up onto the sofa and wedged himself in Persephone’s lap with a huff. Personal space did not exist when it came to Cerberus, the lazy borzoi. 

“Your daddy is a real pain in my ass.” She muttered into his fur, burying her fingers in the long coat. “And you’re  _ heavy _ you heathen dog.”

Cerberus, as he usually did, gave not a care in the world and lay across her lap. That was her boy, always telling when she was in a mood and doing anything he could to remove her from it. It was hard to be angry or upset when her fingers were brushing through his fur, his warmth a familiar presence - though he took up too damn much of the bed, in her opinion. It was a nightly fight for space. 

It was how Eurydice and Orpheus found Persephone less than an hour later, still pinned to the sofa by Cerberus and idly browsing her phone.

“What the hell was that?” Eurydice asked, and Persephone cocked a brow.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You and Mr. Hades back there.  _ Again _ . Can you guys make it through one night without fighting?”

“Debatable.” Persephone replied dryly. “Relax, chickadee. It’s our nature.”

“You two need to . . . I don’t know - bang each other on the bus and get it over it.”

“No fornicating on my bus, the bunks aren’t big enough and I’m not sharing my bed.” Persephone snorted. Orpheus muttered something under his breath and brushed past toward the bunks. Eurydice narrowed her eyes, opened her mouth, and thought better of it before trailing after her other half. 

Persephone looked down at her phone again, his text still on  _ read _ and without her response. She didn’t have anything that seemed right to reply with, not even with the vast alphabet of emojis at her disposal. In the end, Persephone closed the messages and tried to stand, before remembering the great brute of weight in her lap. 

“Come on, Cerb. Bed. We got a long day tomorrow.”

A long day that started far too early, in Persephone’s opinion. She still hadn’t adjusted to being on tour again - late nights, early morning, days that went on forever. Sound checks, warm ups, rushed lunches in tight dressing rooms - it was nonstop throughout the day but it was familiar, welcome, and by the time the meet and greets rolled around she was in far better spirits than the previous night. She had always made time for fans, happy and delighted to meet all of them who saw her as someone worth paying a stupid amount of money to see (she had no say on venue or event prices, and if she did it would have been a hell of a lot less).

She didn’t see Hades most of the day, a relief. After changing into her usual show get-up, she started painting on her make-up like battle armor. Nothing fancy or strange; it would be smudged by sweat by the end of the night anyway. Cerberus was curled on the sofa of the dressing room, passed out - his usual sentry position before, during, and after since he disliked being cooped up on the bus. Through a set of speakers in the ceiling of the room she could hear live feedback from the stage somewhere above, where Orpheus and Eurydice were doing their soundcheck and talking with Hades; she couldn’t make out their conversation, just his quiet, deep rumble of a voice every once in a while. 

She pressed her lips together to even out her lipstick. Damn man. Even when he wasn’t standing near her Persephone couldn’t help but let her mind drift to him. She couldn’t figure him out. Why in hell had he agreed to come on tour? Very few band managers ever did in person, usually sending someone in their place. He butted heads with Harmonia way too often, and it was clear both Persephone and he were walking on eggshells around each other. How would they survive the next several months? One of them would throttle the other. Not for the first time, Persephone regretted ever inviting him. Stupid woman. He hadn't complained yet, but she gave it only a matter of time; he'd been pissed enough when she'd been gone on tour by herself those months apart during their marriage, she couldn't fathom him enjoying it actually being with her now they were divorced.

Like always, she put her feelings into her music. It was easy, like a second nature when she performed for sol out crowds singing along and cheering her name. A rush of a high she followed and craved and needed, it felt like. Not too many in the music industry were like her, hadn't made it to something as grand as that - and she was grateful that for whatever damn reason she had. She'd ride that high long as she could, until they all likely decided to hate her music and she could retire to some little town in the middle of nowhere to live a quiet life. She threw herself into her performance that evening, making the sweat rolling off her body by the time she finished well worth it. Orpheus and Eurydice took over for the latter half of the show - she'd been adamant on that: they shared the stage, no 'opening' for each other. They were talented in their own right. She could still hear their cheering as she darted out of the back stage area with a bottle of water and an unlit cigarette to find the outdoor smoking section somewhere behind the arena.

Luck would have it that Hades was there, a freshly lit smoke between his lips. She ignored him (tried to, at least) as she chugged half the bottle of water and lit up her own. 

"Oh my god, you're her."

Persephone realized she was being addressed and turned to look at the rather lovely looking woman standing outside, the only other one. She plastered on a smile at the rather awe-struck looking girl.

"Depends on who's 'her', but I'll roll with it." 

"You're Persephone." The girl continued, beaming. "I've heard all about you."

"Only good, I hope."

"Hades only has good things to say about you."

Persephone paused, cigarette halfway lifted to her lips as she looked at Hades - was he _blushing_? She turned her gaze back to the girl and took her in more closely, the tailored suit and close cropped brown hair that had an undercut to it in a soft shade of green. Her eyes were the same shade of green, vibrant and bright and far too young for her tastes. For _his_ tastes, or so she'd thought. Something heavy settled into the pit of her gut, sour and twisting until she felt like she was going to throw up. 

"I see." She managed. "You and Hades know each other long?"

"A few months." She continued. "I'm Minthe. His -"

"Assistant." Hades cut across her, and the girl, Minthe, only smiled all the more brighter. "Who should not be fan-girling."

"Right. Sorry. I just get excited. My mom introduced you to my music when I was a kid and I've been in love since."

The heavy thing in her gut bottomed out and she felt sick. She threw her cigarette to the ground and stomped it out with more than half of it left. The adrenaline high from performing had suddenly and quite quickly disappeared in favor of something awful, something distasteful. Had she still been drinking, she could have used far more unkind terms. Wanted to, even still. Decided better, and didn't. She glanced at Hades, who did not meet her gaze. Embarrassed. 

"Glad to see you've been takin' after your brother." She shot in his direction; that got his attention, those steel colored eyes darkening. She felt a vague sense of pride swell up in her chest. Good. Let him be angry. 

"Seph -." He began, and she snapped her attention back to Minthe.

"Pleasure. I'm sure I'll see you around. Give _your mother_ my best."

Persephone turned and went back inside without another word. The awful thing in her stomach tightened until her eyes watered and burned, the rage in her chest unrelenting and sharp. Assistant - yeah, right. Why hadn't she seen the girl before, then? The _girl_. She barely looked old enough to drink. Poor thing. Hades had never once been the type, not in their marriage and not after - so she'd thought. Furious, Persephone stomped the entire way back to her dressing room. She didn't care. Let him have an assistant. Or a girlfriend. Whatever the hell he wanted. They were divorced. It shouldn't have mattered. It didn't matter.

Except, it _did_. 


	3. chapter three

"Sister, you look better every time I see you."

Persephone laughed, dragging Hermes into a hug before he could wriggle his way out of it, planting a kiss against his cheek for good measure. He chuckled and drew back to look at her with that ever critical eye of his, hands at her shoulders as he took in every inch of her. It had been nearly a year since they'd last laid eyes on each other, both busy with their respective careers. 

“You’re required to say that as my brother, but I appreciate it all the same.” She mused. “Good to see you too. Thanks for invitin’ me.”

“You know I would even if we weren’t related. And those two songbirds of yours - just finished talkin’ to them and they’re something else, yeah?”

“Knew you’d get on with ‘em.” Persephone smiled. “They’re good kids. Bright future ahead of them if the industry doesn’t crush them.”

“Ain’t that what you’re doing? Keepin’ that from happening?”

“Gonna try.” She sank onto the sofa of the dressing room somewhere backstage of the studio where they filmed  _ Late Night _ , on some floor of some skyscraper that overlooked the city. Hermes helped himself to the pitcher of lemonade on the coffee table, pouring them each a glass. Once upon a time it would have had liquor in it and Persephone almost missed the burn when she took a sip. Her longing for it had only increased; and she blamed Hades for every moment of it. He seemed to be avoiding her, but the glimpses she’d caught of him had been with that little witch assistant. 

Persephone was sure she was a lovely girl, but she could be lovely with  _ someone else _ . 

“You wanna talk about it?” Hermes offered, and she realised her simmering, loathing emotion had worked it’s way onto her face. She shook her head once, taking a long drink of lemonade with a white-knuckled grip around the glass. It didn’t matter. It  _ didn’t _ . She had never bothered to get involved in another relationship after their divorce, nothing lasting, and she thought he hadn’t either. She wanted to be happy for him, but every time she tried it made her sick to her stomach and her longing for a beverage of the alcoholic variety always increased. 

“Ain’t nothin’ to talk about.” She added, throwing him a look. A well meaning, but sharp look that made the point of ‘ _ do not bring it up in the interview’ _ . Because damn it all, her album was soaring all on it’s own and she wanted to answer questions on music and herself, not a broken relationship and her ex-husband’s apparent new  _ girlfriend _ . The word made her stomach turn. 

"So is now a bad time to tell you I invited him to the little shindig I'm throwin' tonight?"

"No, because now I know not to come." She remarked. 

"Seph, come on. Plenty of people there, you probably won't even run into him. I'll have security throw him out if you want."

Petty as she wanted to be, she knew she wouldn't do well if she kept blacklisting Hades. She hadn't held this much bitterness in her for a while, something Hermes seemed keen on. She huffed, tossing one of the sofa pillows at him with no real effort behind it. She could do one party. Like hell she was gonna let Hades ruin her life like this. Let him flaunt his new girl around. She didn't care. Couldn't care. 

And yet thinking about it only made her chest tighten. 

Hermes left her alone then, off to film his interview with Amy Poehler that would air in her episode as well. It was easy enough to stay holed up in her dressing room, listening to the taping through speakers in the ceiling. Hermes' voice was magnetic and soothing, but with a boyish charm that he'd had ever since they were kids. That confidence that could get even tight lipped celebrities to spill a few secrets here or there - there had been an issue with some superhero movie and one of the actors spilling things they shouldn't have. Hermes had been amused, the movie executives had not. 

For her tour and press appearances, Persephone had adopted a wide range of floral styles, which is what she sported when she joined Hermes on the soundstage for her interview, performance, and what was likely to be an absolute disaster of a game of charades between her, him, Amy, and whoever else he had managed to rope in. A live audience greeted her, and despite her nausea and bitterness Persephone plastered on a smile that could put the stage lights to shame in its brightness. 

"Our lady of the underground!" Hermes greeted brightly. "More like our lady of the billboard charts. Your album is currently sitting  _ number one _ and I have never been more proud to call you 'sister', sister."

"Don't tell me you're gonna get all sentimental." Persephone grinned over the din of audience applause. "I've been very lucky. Don't worry, I'm sure Adele or that Beiber kid will release something and knock me down. Or better yet - when Orpheus and Eurydice release theirs. I will humbly accept defeat."

"What if someone else knocks you out of number one?"

"Obviously I'll have to fight them - kiddin'. I'm just grateful I'm where I'm at now, and I'll ride that high long as I can."

Hermes held up a copy of her album, waving it around grandly. 

"Alright, so tell me about this new one. You've been workin' on it for a year?"

And so the interview went; Persephone rarely did talk shows, but for Hermes she made the exception. Mostly because he was easy to talk to, and genuinely seemed to care - in a biased way, obviously, but he did it well. She fielded questions about her album and the tour and to her relief, he didn't mention Hades. Thank gods. He did manage an embarrassing story about their younger days - he always did, that was his routine whenever given the chance. 

". . . You thought the horse was actually our brother!" He teased, and she made a show of shoving his shoulder. 

"Because you and momma were in on it! I sat in the field talkin' to that horse for three weeks for days on end!"

After the interview and a vaguely terrible game of charades (though she was still convinced she and Amy had won and that Hermes was a cheater) it came time to film the music performance. It had been easy, in the end, to choose a song. Painted nails drummed against the microphone as she twirled the cord in her other hand, listening to them finish fine tuning the cameras and the like. Her gaze scanned the audience, then the behind-the-scenes crew. Was she looking for him? Probably. Mostly because she  _ wanted _ him to hear. If he wanted to flaunt his new woman about, she’d flaunt just how successful she was on her own. 

Still. There was a terrible weight in the pit of her stomach.

“Now, singing one of her songs from her latest album ‘Way Down’ - on sale now, by the way - give it up for Lady Persephone!”

_ "---but then something happened one magical night, I forgot that you existed. I thought that it would kill me, but didn't. And it was so nice . . ." _

\---

Hermes had an apartment in the city, a penthouse that overlooked a park with more space than Persephone would know what to do with. She'd been to his place plenty of times before, especially when she'd been on alcoholic benders. More than once she'd awoken on his sofa or in a guest room with the hangover from hell and a disappointing look on his face. 

It was styled far too modern for her tastes, but just right for his. Not enough plants or greenery, too manufactured. But after the small town they'd grown up in, she couldn't blame him from wanting everything opposite. Sleek house, sleek suits, sleek car - streamlined and beautiful. And filled with people. 

His 'shindig' turned out to be a conglomerate of people she both knew and did not. Five steps into the apartment and she immediately lost track of Orpheus and Eurydice (mostly Eurydice; Orpheus was easier to spot, being a head taller than most). Even still, she was gathered up by Hermes, a drink pressed into her hand, and the long night began.

"You said this was a dinner party, not a college rager." Persephone hissed furiously in her brother's ear. He laughed.

"I'm not gonna see you until after your tour, sister. Figured I'd give you a decent night without the press." He grinned. 

"Are you enabling me?" She lifted a skeptical brow and gestured to the glass of wine he had put in her hands. 

"Not at all. But you gotta relax and loosen up. Your stress will make you go gray as the rest of us." Hermes nudged her gently. "Try to have fun. I'll keep an eye on your intake."

Persephone eyed him another long moment. She had never been much of a party goer, even before. She had been perfectly content to get wasted on her own, in her own home - being out risked the chance of unsavory photographs and the media blasting her for being an alcoholic. Hermes apartment was private, she figured, and she had no intentions of falling into old habits. She was better than that. Tomorrow would be back to business, so she decided then and there to make the most of the night. 

Wine in hand, she worked her way around the room to the faces she knew. Producers mostly, based in the city. A few more small screen faces, another musician or two - Hermes liked to surround himself with people, a real busy body with a knack for parties. Nowhere near the events that their absentee daddy could through - or so she heard. She wouldn't know, as she'd never been invited. She found she was better off for it, really. So was Hermes. 

"Persephone!" Eurydice had finally found her, near a table of snack food. "This is amazing!"

Persephone chuckled. 

"Havin' fun, chickadee?"

"Yeah - I mean, have you seen some of the people? Of course you have. Hermes is hilarious and I love him." Judging by the rosy color in her cheeks, Eurydice was slightly intoxicated. Persephone was still working on her first glass; wine didn't quite have the same enjoyable taste as it once had. Eurydice shuffled closer when someone squeezed by to get to the snacks. 

"Glad you're enjoyin' yourself." Persephone mused. She and Orpheus had been so focused on getting ready for their album to debut they'd been putting everything into the music and not taking much time for themselves. Wherever Orpheus had drifted to, she was sure he was enjoying himself too.

"I'm gonna get some water, I think." Eurydice brightened. "Wanna come?"

"To the kitchen?"

"C'mon!"

Before Persephone could stop her, Eurydice had taken up her arm and was guiding them toward the open kitchen, where several men in striped shirts were serving all sorts of drinks, alcoholic and not. She put a hand on top of her glass when one tried to refill her wine, watching as Eurydice bartered for a glass of water instead of a cocktail. 

"Interesting song choice."

_ Fuck _ . 

The low rumble was a dead giveaway, and for half a second she didn't want to turn around. Determined to be a better person, she turned to face the undeniable face of her ex husband with a tight lipped smile. 

"Wrote it myself." She replied quickly. He'd dressed up in a slightly  _ fancier _ pinstriped suit, and his little green haired assistant was nowhere to be seen. For now. If he noticed her scanning the crowd immediately behind him, he didn't comment. 

"I listened to the album - they're all good."

A compliment? Oh, he was sucking up for the diner, then. Or his new plaything. Either way, she took it with the bat of an eyelash and the same tight smile. 

"Lots of inspiration this time." She drawled, lifting her glass to her lips. She watched the tiny crease in his forehead grow. 

"You're drinking again?"

Persephone scowled. 

"I ain't allowed to have a social drink?"

"Forget I asked." He recoiled instantly at her tone, as if she were a snarling lion rather than a woman with a wine glass. Which, okay, she could have come off a bit less of a bitch, she knew. But gods above he knew how to get under her skin in three words or less and it annoyed her to no damned end. Maybe she should have just never turned to face him. Even if he did look rather nice all jazzed up. 

She swore in her mind. 

_ You can't be bitter and still think he's good looking. Get your shit together, woman! _

"Seph! Hades!"

Their heads snapped around at the same time, dragging Hermes to a halt as he approached before that same easy grin spread across his features. She winced and without thinking, extended her glass for a refill to one of the bartenders, who obliged. 

"Aight? Listen, I got a bet goin' and I need you two to win."

"No." - "No." They'd both spoken at the same time. She cringed, and took a long drink of the bitter wine and ignored the low burn in her belly. 

"Oh, c'mon. It'll be quick."

"Can't you get Eurydice -" Persephone had gestured to the girl beside her - rather, where the girl had been. Damn.

"No, no. Gotta be you two cause you're the only two who can do it."

Persephone felt her stomach bottom out, a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Because she had a sneaking suspicion she knew what Hermes was about to say or request or beg them to do. He did every time they'd been at a party together - and the last time they had been very married when they'd done it. Now - oh,  _ gods help me. _

Once upon a time, she and Hades had played music together, and they had been good. Eager to outdo each other constantly, so much that they'd developed a rather good party trick, one that got them favorable comments when they performed it. Judging by the delight in Hermes' gaze, she knew he was precisely about to ask for that particular performance skill, one Persephone had  _ no _ desire to show off. Not now. Not with him. The closeness it required was not something she was prepared to handle.

“How much did you bet?” Hades inquired in a low voice. “And on what to win?”

“Enough that I’d have to sell my car.” Hermes remarked dryly. “To the fact that you could still do it and aren’t just a pair of old wash-ups.”

Persephone groaned.

“Hermes! I outta kick your ass right off this building!”

“Last I checked, I can’t fly sister. So I’d rather you didn’t.”

She took another long swig from her glass. She was not mentally capable of handling this situation. She glanced at Hades, who arched a brow as if to ask her ‘why not’?

She cursed her brother quietly under her breath, and threaded through the crowd to the piano at one corner of the lavish living room. 

Duets on pianos were easy enough, and classic. Persephone had been trained classically, when her momma had wanted her to go into some orchestra or something instead of putting all her worth into trying to hit it big otherwise. She wrote a lot of her early songs on piano, so it was nearly second nature. When she and Hades had been dating they had bonded over it, playing alongside one another in tandem. That hadn’t been enough - they’d developed a bit of a routine, improving off one another to cross hands and switching places and it had turned into a whole ordeal to the entertainment of their friends. They’d enjoyed the challenge, the delight of it all, a secret hobby to show off to those closest.

“Anything in particular, or we makin’ it up as we go?” She inquired in a low voice, trying hard to sound neutral as she took a seat on the left side of the bench, and Hades took the left. She slid her bangled bracelets from her wrists and rested them atop the piano; he did the same with his rings, even going so far as to remove his blazer and tug his sleeves up. As if prepping for battle.

“Think you can keep up if we do the usual?” He arched a brow.

“Is that a challenge?” ‘The usual’ meant making it up as they went along, which was just fine with her. 

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” He replied, glancing at Hermes, who looked on with an eager expression. 

Persephone rested her hands across the lower keys, flexing her fingers for a moment. Hades mirrored her. Then, they were off.

He started, and she followed. The melody he set off with was neither fast or slow, but something in between. It was clear he hadn’t played in some time either, not to the level they once had. She watched him out of the corner of her eye, sinking into the familiar feeling of working alongside him. It made it easy, trailing a harmony before she took over the melody and he followed after her, trading back and forth. They had always been good at reading one another, predicting the other’s movements both at an instrument and not - at least, they once  _ had _ been. Whether or not that was true now remained to be seen. 

He reached across her right hand to take over the notes she had been playing below - she immediately responded by crossing her hand to his notes, continuing the music without missing a beat. The small movement alone put them much closer together; she could feel the muscles of his arm brushing against her own, letting her anticipate where he was going with the song, what his next move was. Despite herself, Persephone felt a determined smile worm it’s way onto her features. It was always fun, performing, but this was another level she hadn’t felt in some time. 

He drew his arm away from the piano and slid back on the bench, still playing with one hand. Persephone compensated by sliding forward and with a practiced maneuver thy traded places on the bench as she shifted in front of him, taking over the higher keys as he took the low. They moved like twin satellites orbiting each other, responding without speaking. She lost herself to the music, letting it wash over her in a melody she didn’t know, adding harmony where she thought it might sound nice. Where he led, she followed. And where she led, he followed. It was exerting, keeping up as the speed increased and their movements switched - a veritable dance between the two of them against the ivories. 

They played without speaking, letting the music speak for them. Delicate notes, harsh notes, warm and sour - all mingled together in a strangely addicting melody that she found she rather liked. It was difficult to focus on any one section for long, their hands constantly dancing over each other’s and moving around each other on the bench, at one point even standing to be able to reach each other’s opposite sides. 

As his hands came back to the middle of the keyboard, she followed until they were crammed together impossibly close in hands and in body. She shifted further until their hands were nearly on top of each other and without thinking, she tucked herself between his arms until his hands were outside of her own, playing high and low while she took the middle with an intensity that crescendoed and then faded away into the last few tinkling notes. Persephone let out a breath of laughter and utter delight, feeling Hades rumble beside her. 

No. Behind her. 

She’d ended up with her back pressed against his front, cradled between his arms and against the piano. Her heartbeat quickened, stomach launching somewhere to the back of her throat. She gathered the courage to turn, as if to stand, and nearly brushed noses with him at how close they were. His eyes were dark, chest rising and falling deeply. She could hear her blood racing in her ears, pounding and loud and drowning out the noise of the applauding audience to their little display.

His gaze dropped to her lips, or had she imagined that? She swallowed thickly.

“I win!” Hermes voice chimed loudly, jerking her out of  _ whatever the hell that had been _ . Hades as well, as he lowered his arms from the keyboard and allowed her to escape being crowded against the instrument. She straightened her dress with the flash of a smile, snatching up her bracelets to replace them on her arms. She could barely hear anything over the sound of the pounding in her ears, in her chest. Her face felt flushed and she so desperately wanted to pretend the wine had caused it. Eurydice and Orpheus had come up to her then, Eurydice gushing and grinning and Persephone honestly didn’t hear a word.

Her gaze had found Hades again, who had moved past a delighted Hermes to greet the  _ girl _ . Minty whatever-the-hell her name was.

“I need some air.” Persephone said suddenly, and extracted herself from the poet and his songbird rather quickly. Weaving through the crowd of gathered people, she headed for the nearest door - which happened to be out on the balcony. She sucked in a deep breath of cool night air as she stepped out into the night, sweaty fingers gripping the railing. She wanted to leave. Needed to leave. Hermes would never let her hear the end of it if she let without telling him. But the sanctuary of her tour bus sounded more than better than going back inside. 

_ Get a grip you stupid woman _ .

“Seph?”

Her head shot up to level at Hades, who had followed her, apparently. She bit hard on the inside of her cheek. 

“Shouldn’t you be inside?” She asked.

“Shouldn’t you?”

He moved slow, as if she were some spooked animal. She felt as jumpy as one. Her fingers tightened on the railing until her knuckles turned white. 

“Are you alright?” He asked quietly, and she snorted.

“Fine. Thanks. Nice playing, by the way.”

“You haven’t lost your touch either.”

Persephone made the mistake of glancing up again - he’d grown closer, leaning on the railing beside her with those dark eyes leveled at her. She wondered, vaguely, if he’d fought with any of his own feelings for her still lingering or if he’d moved on right away from their divorce. Bitterness rose like bile in the back of her throat, uncomfortable and sour. Laced with something else.

_ Regret _ .

“Seph, I -”

“Uncle Hades?”

Persephone pinched the bridge of her nose, refusing the urge to scowl. 

Wait.  _ Uncle? _

She turned a vague shade of white as the girl poked her head out of the door, frowning at the pair of them. 

“Oh. Sorry. Am I interrupting?”

“What is it?” Hades rumbled with a wince. 

“I just - Hermes is looking for you.” 

“Thank you, Minthe.”

Persephone waited half a second for the door to shut before she whirled on Hades.

“ _ Uncle _ ?”

He raised his hands and took a half step back in defense.

“You never gave me a chance to properly introduce you.” He replied sharply. “I’m her godfather; we aren’t blood related. Her mother is a friend. I promised I would give her a position so I created the position of assistant. What else did you think?”

Persephone narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth, thought better of it, and snapped it shut again. 

“I should go.” She settled on half a minute later, when rational thought had returned. “Early morning and all that.”

She didn’t give him time to respond, and for the second time she turned on her heel and quickly hauled ass back inside, feeling her heart doing funny things in her chest. 

_ Fuck. Me. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit goes to MeettheFates for inspiring the piano duet/duel. Also, if you haven't seen their art, head on over to their tumblr at meetthefates.tumblr.com because they do some stunning work. Come say hi to me while you're at it, over at ourladyoftheundcrground.tumblr.com (I take requests!).
> 
> Hope you enjoyed, and I look forward to seeing you in the next chapter!


	4. chapter four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so sorry for the delay! if you follow me on tumblr, you'll know why. this chapter is another little interlude with the sprinklings of how their marriage originally fell apart, among other things.

"Is it not weird being literal strangers with someone who's seen you naked?"

Persephone choked on her doughnut, accidentally inhaling the powdered sugar halfway up her nose. Eurydice dissolved into cackling laughter as Persephone tried to recover with some dignity, wiping at her face with a napkin and taking a drink of coffee before she could have a coughing fit - and glanced up just in time to see Eurydice snapping a photo of her to top it all off.

Persephone cleared her throat, and dusted more powdered sugar off the table. 

"What?" She managed to croak after another moment as Eurydice fussed on her phone - she saw her own light up on the table with the notification of being tagged in a photo on Instagram. 

"I saw you at the party. With Hades. One second you look like you're eating lemons with the sour expression and the next you're eye fucking each other at a piano." 

“That’s a bit excessive.”

“But it’s true.” Eurydice laughed, and reached out for one of the doughnuts Persephone was eating. Orpheus had volunteered to take Cerberus for a walk around the block, leaving Persephone and Eurydice alone on the bus for the time being. Persephone had been attempting to write music, but the pages before her were blank and uninspired. Empty. She sighed and closed her notebook with a huff. She felt all dried up on muse; hopefully a few performances would inspire her. She’d tried browsing the internet for something idea-sparking, but the news articles had only pissed her off and the rest of everything was too clickbait filled. 

“That’s how he and I have always been. Hatin’ each other one minute, makin’ up the next.” Persephone said after a moment, raking a hand through her hair. Eurydice arched a brow as if to encourage her to go on. “What?”

“I don’t believe you. You guys always looked super into each other in the tabloids.”

“You outta have learned by now, chickadee, that everything those papers publish ain’t truth.” Desperate to find a way out of the conversation, Persephone grabbed a deck of cards leftover from a game the previous night. “Game?”

Eurydice waited three hands in before resuming her interrogation. 

“How did you two meet, anyway?”

Persephone snorted. 

“I was friends with his brother. Invited me to a concert with their band -  _ Olympians _ . Played pretty good. Pretty sure he had blue hair back then.”

Eurydice looked at her as if she doubted Hades had been anything over than a stern businessman with his shock of white hair. She remembered their first meeting well enough, that underground bar with the shitty booze and the music blaring in her ears. Nothing else had mattered but him, when she’d stopped him - like one of the terrible cliches in a terrible B-rated movie. She’d fallen hard, and he’d been the one to encourage her own try at music after coming across her toying with a guitar one day. Her momma had still been trying to get her to audition for one of the philharmonics, but she’d had no interest. Then Hades came along and introduced her to the realm of pop and rock and everything within - she was sure her momma had never forgiven him, for supposedly luring her away from her future as a classical instrumentalist. 

Part of those years were a blur from her drinking, but she remembered the important bits. Their whirlwind of a romance. Front page of all the tabloids and a ten page spread on their wedding. Rock royalty, one of the rags had dubbed them. She'd been deliriously happy. So had he. 

"Trying to balance work and play is hard." She said suddenly, looking at Eurydice sharply. "Remember that, with you and Orpheus. Don't let it ruin you like it did me and him."

"We promised to make sure each other come first. Music is what we love, but it's not worth the cost of losing each other if it came down to it." Eurydice replied carefully, setting another card against the tabletop. Persephone's brows knotted together in brief thought. 

"Is that how you guys ended?" Eurydice ventured, quieter. "Work?"

"Among other things." Persephone pretended to study her hand like it was the most interesting thing in the world. "I got contracted for a six month tour and he was trying to settle into the more business side of things. He and I weren't good at the long distance thing and by the time we were face to face again, it felt like there were too many cracks to repair. We tried to mend it, but we were too far gone. I was being contracted for gigs more and more, he was gettin' more clients. Divorce seemed logical."

It felt strange to talk of it; beyond Hermes and her momma, she'd avoided the topic when possible. But it was easy to trust Eurydice - especially because she would do everything in her power to make sure she and Orpheus didn't head down the same path. Granted it helped the two performed together, but even being cramped too long in a tour bus or dressing room could drive alone to insanity. 

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Persephone feigned a smile. "It was a while ago."

"You guys really haven't thought of getting back together?"

Persephone snorted. 

"Listen chickadee, I already got a cousin that's a love matchmaker. I don't need another harpin' on me."

She cast a look across the table; Eurydice only grinned broadly. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Persephone scoffed. “Uno.”

“Hah. Draw four.”

Frequently their nights were spent in a similar fashion. When the high after a show was too much to sleep and they weren’t able to go out because they needed to be on the road, cards and drinks were the go-to. Persephone had banned poker after Orpheus and unwittingly wiped her and Eurydice both out of any cash and several collateral items. From then on it had been strictly games with no monetary value. 

"Shouldn't you be planning a wedding?" Persephone shot back after another second. Eurydice made a face. 

"That's more Orpheus' doing. I'm not much the party planner. If I had my way we'd marry in a courthouse and be done with it." She muttered. "Ain't worth the hassle."

"Been there, done that. White dress and the whole lot. Hated it." She wrinkled her nose. "My momma planned all of it. Down to the last detail. After she got over the fury and anger, of course."

"I think I remember.  _ Vogue _ covered it, right?"

"Unfortunately. Momma's choice. I didn't have a single say in my weddin'. Neither did Hades. If I do it again, I'm hittin' up Vegas and callin' it a damn day."

"You plan on gettin' hitched again?"

"Now did I say that, girl?"

A knock on the door silenced whatever retort Eurydice had on her tongue. Persephone knew it wasn't Orpheus coming back - he wouldn't have reason to knock. Could be a crew member, but usually they knocked a certain way or called out. Harmonia always walked straight in with some half shouted order about being late. Fans couldn't get to where they were parked, with security tight as it was.

They all had their ways, and a simple knock was none of them.

She exchanged a look with Eurydice. 

"Its open!" She called out, shifting uneasily in her seat. The door to the trailer opened and to her surprise, Hades crowded the doorway. She heard Eurydice choke back a cough as Hades stepped up into the bus, looking slightly sweaty. As if he'd been running. Or pacing. Pacing outside her door. 

"Boss!" Eurydice shouted before Persephone could say a single word. "You can take my place. I need to find Orpheus. We have to, uh, warm up soon."

Persephone opened her mouth, but Eurydice was faster and already on her feet and brushing past Hades with the door slamming behind her. Persephone felt her heart leap into the back of her throat. The universe was being damned cruel, she thought. Unfair. 

"Hope I wasn't interrupting." Hades rumbled after a moment. Persephone reached for her glass of lemonade and gave a shake of her head. She needed to get her shit together. After Hermes' party they'd done well to avoid each other - well, she'd avoided him. Unable to bring herself to admit the way her stomach flipped when she looked at him and those near black irises looked at her. She felt dragged back to that fraction of a second when they'd first met in that terrible bar and he'd looked just as lost as he did now. 

"Not at all." She made the vague wave for him to sit, to take Eurydice's place. "Lemonade? Or stronger?"

"Stronger, if you have it." He said as he sat. Persephone arched a brow and felt a question on the tip of her tongue, but decided against it. If he wanted her to know, he'd tell her. Then again, he'd never been forthcoming about his feelings in regards to anything but her; she'd always needled it out of him one day or the other. She stood and crossed to the small minibar that was in desperate need of a restock. There was a bottle of whiskey that had been untouched for the most part and so she settled on that, pouring a glass before setting both it and the bottle in front of him. 

"Uno? Really?" Hades asked as she sat back down across from him and made to clear the vibrantly coloured cards. 

"I don't judge you on your game choices." She remarked, stuffing the cards haphazardly back into their box. 

"I don't play games."

"No, you  _ try _ . Don't think I've forgotten how terrible you are at dominoes."

Hades' lips squirmed softly at the corners, an almost smile. 

"How d'you know I haven't been practicing?"

Persephone cocked a brow again. While married, Hades had driven her to do some stupid things in her love for him. She'd been a mess of a thing, wild and hasty and very good at making overwhelming dumb decisions. Old habits died hard, she figured, as she reached under the bench she sat on where a variety of things were stored. It took a moment for her fingers to brush along the silver tin, but she dragged it out of the depths and sat it on the table before them. 

"Alright, hot shot. Prove it."

It was his turn to arch a brow as she cracked open the tin before he could protest, dumping porcelain tiles across the table between them. 

"Now?"

"We got time for a round before the show. Unless you're talkin' through your teeth."

Hades narrowed his eyes a moment, considering. She could see that big brain turning gears - clearly dominoes was not what he came to her bus for, but he was still hesitant to say no. What had he come to her for? Something that had made him pace back and forth before he'd even knocked. 

"Could make it more interesting." Persephone added, an idea caught in her mind with a sudden clarity. "Loser takes a shot at the end of each round."

"You have a show to do, and I would hate for you to go up on stage stumbling drunk." He replies and she snorted. 

"That confident are you?"

Hades studied her face - likely also trying to figure out if she was gonna lapse back into alcoholism from a game of dominoes. Not that she was worried; he'd been utter shit when she'd taught him, and a cheater. He'd never won a game between them. After another moment of silence, he shifted and took off the jacket of his suit, draping it across the back of his cushioned bench before he set about rolling up his sleeves. Persephone grinned. 

_ Just a game, _ she promised herself.  _ Don't mean a damned thing. You can be civil friends. _

And then Eurydice's voice sounded in the back of her own mind. 

_ Is it weird being strangers with someone who's seen you naked? _

She drove the thought to the back of her mind and flipped the tiles to their empty sides, mixing them on the surface of the table before they each picked out seven at random. She slid the rest to the side, before flipping her own tiles to see what lot she'd drawn without letting him see. He did the same, before picking one of the random leftover tiles and setting it face up in the middle of the table to be their starting tile.

"Ladies first." He murmured.

The game was easy enough, the version she'd taught him as her momma had taught it to her. The goal was to get points in multiples of five by linking the matching ends of dominoes together. If you didn't have a tile in your hand to match to one on the board, you drew from the leftovers off to the side until none were left or no moves could be made. The remaining tiles left in your hand that couldn't be used were added up and were added to the points of the opposite player. Usually it took several rounds to seem a winner as they generally played until someone got a total of 300 or more. 

Persephone picked up her first tile and laid it out, and so the game began. 

"So where have you been hiding?" He asked after his turn, and she glanced up from her hand. 

"Don't know what you're talkin' about." She shrugged. "Just been busy. Tours do that."

"I remember." There was a bitterness to his tone she did not miss. Her brows furrowed on instinct at the retort. If he had came in the bus to spit venom, she'd kick him straight out. She was almost curious if they could have a decent conversation together without underlying tension - of the angry or sexual kind - but it seemed damned near impossible. 

"You still on about that, are you?" Persephone muttered. "I tried, Hades. Don't know how many times I gotta tell you."

"You think you're the only one who tried?"

"Sure as hell felt like it." She set the tile down a bit too forcefully. 

"You were gone half the year on tour and you think you're the only one who tried? Who is still trying?"

Something stuck to the back of her throat.  _ Still trying _ ? What the hell was that supposed to mean. 

"Twenty points to me." She settled on when she found her voice with barely a glance down to the tabletop. This wasn't happening. Could she still kick him out? She swallowed again. No. She couldn't do this. "Your shot."

He said nothing, but took the shot of whiskey. She took the bottle and refilled it, trying to avoid the urge to upturn it into her own mouth. They flipped the tiles back over, shuffled, and set about another round. 

"How are Eurydice and Orpheus holding up?" He ventured after another few moments. A safe topic. Better. She tried to drag her thoughts back to sanity. 

"Decent. I think their meet and greets are sold out so clearly they’re drummin’ up a storm. But the industry ain’t corrupted them. Yet.” Persephone replied. She was protective of the pair, and as she’d told Hermes she wanted to keep those two from being ruined by a ruthless industry of media and music. She’d long since known the industry to be cruel and unkind, a train chugging along with no brakes or intentions of stopping anytime soon. Some days she regretted becoming part of it - would it have been easier to listen to her momma and join up with an orchestra? Or would she have been better off pursuing a normal job? Questions she asked herself a lot, at least until she stepped back out on the stage to the cheers of her fans. They fueled her more than words could say, encouraged her to continue to do what she loved. Music was her passion, and surely her life would be lacking without it. Granted, she would’ve been find just continuing to play in back rooms of bars and small town festivals, but that had not been her path. Maye when she retired (which was coming sooner rather than later).

She glanced down at the table-top and frowned when she realised Hades had outwitted her. A fluke, surely, only because she hadn’t been paying attention. The asshole gave a smug grin as she flipped her tiles down and reached for the shot glass. The liquor burned all the way down.

“Don’t get comfortable. You’re gonna be a puddle on the floor by the time I’m done.” She remarked dryly, pouring another shot for the next loser. “Your go.”

Turned out, much to Persephone’s loathing, Hades  _ had _ gotten better at dominoes. Five shots later, and he was well over 300 hundred points. She glared at the domino tiles as if they had betrayed her. Chuckling, Hades neatly began to pack them away in the tin she’d pulled them from, and Persephone debated the idea of downing another shot for the hell of it. She still had a show, though, and needed to be decent. Not to mention she had no intention of going back to old habits. 

Hades phone rang as he replaced the lid of the tin, sliding it across the table for her to stow away. He glanced at his mobile.

“I need to take this.” He murmured lowly, and she nodded once. He stepped outside before she could say little else. Persephone took the chance to rummage for her cigarettes, pulling one from the pack before she noted her lack of lighter. She swore; she was always losing it. Hades was a smoker, though. Surely he’d have one. To her luck, he’d left his jacket draped across the back of the bench. She reached over and snagged it, rummaging through the pockets.

Her fingers closed around a creased piece of paper; she caught sight of something familiar on it and before she could stop herself, unfolded it. It was sheet music, handwritten, with a series of notes that were familiar. It was old, the paper, and worn to the point of fragility. Her fingers traced the written notes, half humming the melody they created. Her heat lodged into the back of her throat again. 

That song.

Before Persephone had agreed to marry Hades, he had written them a song. A beautiful melody he insisted was inspired by her. He had never quite finished it; he hadn’t needed to. The short little song had been more than enough - the short little song written on the folded paper she held now. She smiled softly before she could stop herself, fond memories coming to mind. 

Why on earth did he still carry it? Did he always carry it?

She heard voices beyond the dor and hurriedly replace the folded piece of paper into his jacket pocket, her search for a lighter forgotten. Half a second later the door swung open; Eurydice and Orpheus had returned, Cerberus bounding up the steps into the trailer with a wagging tail and tongue. Hades was still on the phone just a few steps outside the trailer, those eyebrows of his wrinkled and furrowed as he paced. Time hadn’t been particularly kind to him, ut he still looked as handsome as the day they’d met. 

“You guys talk?” Eurydice asked, and Persephone snapped out of her throats to see songbird gesturing to the remains of the whiskey bottle and shot glass. She felt her lips press into a thin line, an almost smile.

“A bit.” She answered quietly. “I - I gotta go warm up. I’ll catch up with you two later.”


	5. chapter five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! Life has been crazy. Hope it was worth the wait!

"Momma, I gotta - yeah, I know . . . Tell them thanks, and - what? Momma, I love you, and I'll call you after, okay? Alright - love you too, bye. Bye.  Bye momma."

Persephone sighed and tossed her mobile onto the bed, a headache reforming behind her temples thanks to the never ending conversation with her mother. She loved her mother, dearly, but there were some days more than others that reminded her why she'd left home sooner rather than later. Still, it didn't stop frequent phone calls from Demeter, especially when she got wind of anything in the media regarding Persephone or someone close to Persephone. Right down to the tabloids who always judged her fashion choices - usually Demeter would fuss about the harsh nature of the critique before agreeing Persephone should have worn something a bit more conservative. Those were fun discussions.

But Demeter had called for good reason that early afternoon; Persephone had been nominated for a Grammy. 

More important, so had Orpheus and Eurydice. 

Persephone had won twice before, the little statues on a shelf in her little apartment. It was always an honor, but for her two proteges it was big news. Almost instantly their google search results went up overnight and the album they had just released soared through the rankings as more and more tuned in to the duo that were nominated for Best New Artist. Persephone didn't care if she won or lost her category, she was attending to support Orpheus and Eurydice. 

"Can we schedule the tour  outside of awards season next time? I'm gettin' whiplash goin' back and forth all the time." She lamented to Harmonia, who was perched in the passenger's seat in front of her, the bright light of her bluetooth was nearly the only light in the dim interior, besides the screen from her mobile. 

"Thought this was your last?" Harmonia remarked, and Persephone frowned. 

"Ain't decided."

Harmonia made a noise with no real meaning, and Persephone was distracted by her phone chiming with a text alert. Eurydice, of course. She and Orpheus had arrived earlier for a gathering of the nominees that Persephone couldn't have bothered with. Judging by the copious amount of emojis in the message, she assumed they'd had a decent time. Persephone smiled faintly and made the note to find the pair once she was inside the venue. Ahead of her lay the dreaded long walk, and at the end of it there would at least be alcohol. Not that she  needed it, but her seat by some miracle (or meddling) was next to Hades. 

The line if cars inched forward and Harmonia threw open the door, climbing out. Persephone shoved her phone into her clutch and mentally prepared herself for the rest of the evening. Orpheus and Eurydice were the main target, the main reason she was even showin' up. She knew well enough she wasn't likely to win her category. And she didn't care in the least. 

Her door opened and a hand offered out to her. Plastering a smile on her face, she gathered the fabric of her dress and stepped out onto the red carpet that lay before her. Her dress was a challenge in and of itself - swaths of blue and purple fabric overlayed with swirling patterns of black that resembled the wings of a butterfly, and quite a train down her back to go along with it. If she was going to go to the shindig, she was gonna look damn fine doing it. 

Noise assaulted her from every side, accompanied by the usual cacophony of camera shutters, screaming fans, and talk show hosts shouting questions. She tuned it out with a well practiced ease; her cheeks already ached from the permanent smile. There was an art and a skill to managing nights like this. Let the photographers get their shots, answer a few questions (generally: who are you wearing) and generally try to be a decent person until she could escape into the dim interior of the venue. It was an endless parade of other musicians - both talented and not - and producers and the whole litany of upper crust assholes in the industry that she hated. 

Persephone liked music. Loved it. Didn't mean she liked the people she had to put up with. 

Politely answering shallow questions on camera for a variety of outlets, she drifted toward one of the sections lined with shouting fans. She'd never understood the ones who ignored their fans - they could be a weird bunch at times (like the ones who tattooed her face on their thigh) but they were the reason she was standing on the side of the barrier she was on. She smiled a bit more genuinely for selfies, signed photos of herself and copies of her albums, and even pressed a few kisses to the cheeks of some particularly endearing fans who nearly melted with delight. While the rest of the music industry was generally a pile of garbage to tolerate, there were moments like this where she did appreciate her position. Being able to brighten someone's day just by  being . Maybe she'd get back into charity work once the tour was over. 

The cheering from the section she was standing in front of got very loud very suddenly, and her brows wrinkled in confusion for a brief moment before she felt a familiar presence at her elbow reaching for one of many pens shoved at him. 

Hades rarely indulged fans; Persephone smiled. 

The walk took longer than expected after that, as suddenly everyone wanted photos together and interviews together and quite frankly, Persephone had missed this particular banter. She and Hades had been a team on the carpets before, supporting each other and the like. They answered questions with old jokes and matching smiles. By the time they were in sight of the actual venue, Persephone found herself smiling all the more easier.

"I figured you'd sneak in the back." She mused softly as they trailed along the parade of others entering the venue. Hades' lips twitched briefly. 

"Admit I did consider it. Figured if you're suffering with it, I could too."

The funny little feeling in the pit of her stomach lurched into her heart, her lungs. Her smile faltered briefly, but she hid it behind a cough - which was really not convincing at all. 

"Thankfully I can just plant myself down and ignore everyone the rest of the night." He added. "Got your speech ready?"

Persephone chuckled. 

"You assume I'll win? Hardly. If it's up to me, Swift, that Beiber kid, or whoever the hell else, it ain't gonna be me."

"But your music is beautiful. Deserves to win. And more." He rumbled as they handed their invitations to the burly uniformed men at the door. 

"Is that a compliment I detect?"

"Possibly. Don't let it go to your head." Hades rumbled, glancing across her frame. Those dark eyes took their time taking in her dress for the first time, and just how nicely she was wearing it. "You look lovely."

"A second compliment? Guess I better say that you don't clean up half bad yourself."

"How do you plan on sitting in that dress?"

"Carefully. May have to put my train in your lap."

Hades chuckled quietly, and she felt his hand guiding her lightly down the aisle to their seats toward the stage. Orpheus and Eurydice were there in the row in front of them, both leaping up at the sight. Eurydice dragged Persephone into a hug before she could even greet her. 

"I can't believe this - we're at the  Grammys!  And we're  nominated !"

"Of course you are - and you're gonna win." Persephone smiled brightly. "I know it."

"Don't forget to thank us little people when you win." Hades mused, and Eurydice snorted. 

"Thanks, boss."

With some skill Persephone managed to sit, the train of her dress bunched near her feet. Hades and Orpheus kindly went to fetch drinks for the sake of the sanity of both her and Eurydice and trying to navigate with such elaborate dresses - Eurydice had worn a beautiful black dress with vibrant red carnations patterned across it. 

“Did you guys come here together?” Eurydice asked the moment the pair were out of earshot. She waggled her eyebrows suggestively, and Persephone lightly slapped her arm. 

“Not in the slightest. Keep your shorts on, chickadee. You’ve been so worried about my love life you ain’t planned a single thing for that weddin’ of yours.” Persephone pointed out. Eurydice made a face.

“I’m not great at the planning. We want a wedding but it seems stupid to spend so much money on it. Even having money now - we’re both just trying to be frugal. In case this who music thing doesn’t work out.”

“Girl, you’re at the Grammy’s. I think you can safely say it’s worked out.” She smiled. “But I understand. I was the same at the start. Still am at times.” She lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “You two do what makes you happy, not anyone else. Elope to Vegas if you want.”

Eurydice grinned. 

“There’s an idea.”

The boys returned with drinks shortly thereafter, and the conversation turned idle between the four of them until the time came for the awards to begin. Cameras slotted into place, teleprompters lit up, and the venue almost became something else entirely. Persephone settled back into her seat and sipped her wine, crossing the fingers of her free hand in a gesture of luck for the pair in front of her. It would mean far more for them to win, would launch them into further fame and fortune. Level headed as they were, they could handle it. Of that she was sure. 

Persephone only half paid attention, smiling when the cameras panned their particular way. During 'commercial' breaks some of the other musicians mingled; she was content in her seat, sipping slowly at her wine and clapping when whoever won whatever. The music industry was a capitalistic hellscape and while Persephone participated because of her love for music, ceremonies like this made her slightly miserable - but if they wanted to hand out shiny gold trophies, sure. Why the hell not? Besides, the afterparty would be decent. 

\----

"Girl, I think you just deafened all dogs in a three mile radius with that noise you just made."

Her words fell on deaf ears as Eurydice launched the remaining three feet into Persephone's arms with another noise of delight. Persephone laughed and hugged her tightly, carefully avoiding the shiny gold award swinging in Eurydice's other hand. 

" We won a Grammy!"

"I know, I saw it happen. Was right there, cheerin' you on." She grinned. "Congrats, songbird. You too, Orpheus." She added at the red-faced musician just at Eurydice's side. Of course they'd won. She'd not doubted it for one moment. 

"This is amazing, oh my gods."

"You two go get your pictures taken, enjoy the high. We got a table and you can catch up with us old folks." She tapped Eirydice's nose fondly. She looked uncertain, but Persephone gave her a nudge. "Go on, now. Make friends. Suck up. Schmooze. All that stuff. Try not to get too toasted."

Persephone didn't give the award winning lovebirds a moment to argue, snatching up two flutes of champagne from a passing waiter as she wove through a throng of half drunk celebrities. Barely an hour into one of the many, many,  many after parties and they were already sloshed. Amateurs. For the sake of ease she'd detached the cape from her dress and let one of her permanent shadows of an entourage take it. The party was spread out over multiple rooms in whatever hotel, but wasn't terribly crowded. Private parties were likely to crop up, but Persephone wasn't interested in them. This did just fine. Few drinks and she'd be ready to throw herself in bed. 

The table she and Hades had snagged was more of a stand than anything; just a place to sit and rest and a place to set drinks - which she did as she finally reached it. Hades offered a half smile in thanks as she sat, in discussion with someone in a suit she didn't recognize. Business, always business with him. She lifted her glass in a mock 'you're welcome' as she sank back against the hard chair and set her gaze on the rest of the room. Much as she liked to perform and play and share her music, she felt out of place in the gatherings catered to the more elite. A lot of them had far classier upbringings than her - even Hades. She was nothing but a farm girl playing dress up. She could pretend well enough, but by the end of things, maybe she'd retire back to her roots. Somewhere far more quiet than the screeching and pounding of the cities she frequented. The cities that had only gotten bigger and brighter and hotter. 

No, she wouldn't be cut out for this life much longer. Too old. The path was paved for more performers like Orpheus and Eurydice; she was happy to step aside for one like them (just not the musicians who thought pressing a key on a laptop was  music ).

". . . miles away."

Persephone blinked, realizing Hades had spoken. 

"Sorry - what?"

"You look miles away." He echoed. "You alright?"

"Fine. Just - thinkin'."

"You been doin' a lot of that." He remarked, taking up his glass. She snorted. 

"Got a lot to think about."

An understatement, surely. Hades chuckled, rumbling low in his chest that nearly vibrated the table. Tracing the rim of her glass, she cast a glance back across the room then back to him. His company that evening hadn't been intolerable - in fact, she'd rather enjoyed it. Which felt strange to admit. 

"I did mean it." He spoke lowly after another moment. "Earlier. That dress. It suits you."

"I know." She smiled teasingly, lifting a brow as she took another drink. "That's why I picked it."

"Impractical as it is." Hades added and she rolled her eyes.  There was the backhanded comment, as always. Though it certainly didn't have the malice their barbed words once had. They'd both mellowed in their age, it seemed. For the better, likely. By now they would have both been in a screaming match loud enough for the whole party to hear that would get blasted on TMZ three hours later. 

"I can do anythin' I want on this dress, so lay off."

"You're tellin' me you can dance in that?" 

Persephone stared at him. 

"Is that a question or an offer?"

"Whichever you'd like."

He arched a brow in response, just as the music seemed to shift. 

"Think you're slick, do you?" She chuckled, but offered out her hand. Hades smiled faintly and took it, rising to his feet and drawing her up with him. 

There was a section of the room where others were dancing - most of the music had been something akin to the noise making nonsense the nightclubs were playing, but this was different. Softer. Slower. And familiar, though she was used to Elvis singing it, not a woman. A cover, but a pretty one. Hades led her to a small place on the dance floor and settled a hand at her waist. Gods it had been ages since they'd properly danced. 

Wise men say only fools rush in . . .

She could distinctly remember a similar situation many years ago, the first strains of the melody hitting her harder than she expected. She fell into the soft swaying steps easily with Hades, who guided her as if it hadn't been years. Perfect partners, they'd been. In everything but marriage, apparently. And talking. Though they'd managed it this particular tour, the tour would be over soon enough and they'd go their separate ways again. It shouldn't have made her heart lurch the way it did, but she felt a lump in her throat as they turned (and her dress certainly did not hinder her).

She glanced up, and Hades was far closer than she realised. His lips were moving - mouthing the words. Whispering them, judging by the rumble in his chest. 

Darling, so it goes. Some things are meant to be . . . 

"Why don't you sing anymore?" She asked quietly. "I always liked it when you sang."

"Not much room for old, washed up musicians like me." He said, fingers tightening briefly at her waist. "Better to let stars like you shine."

Persephone tried not to read too much into that thought, and failed. The music continued, their dance went on - and she couldn't tell what was going to her head more: the alcohol, or him. She hadn't looked away, couldn't look away, her gaze glued to his as they moved with a practice, ancient ease. As if they'd always been like this. 

The melody hit the last few notes with beautiful, extended notes. They slowed to swaying back and forth like two middle schoolers at prom, finishing the dance with no real flourish; just her pressed against him and feeling a heat in her face she  knew wasn't the alcohol. 

Without thinking, she closed the distance between them. 

He tasted as she remembered, despite the time passed. He stiffened, briefly, but yielded half a second later and kissed her softly in return. She melted then, her knees shaking. Some voice that sounded suspiciously like her mother screeched in the back of her mind about causing trouble, that it couldn't happen. Her frame pressed into his with a soft noise of contentment - how long had she been putting that off? His fingers curled into the ends of her hair and her lungs  ached until she drew away to catch a breath. He half trailed after her, forehead pressed against her own. 

"Wow." She huffed, chuckling lightly. "Been a while."

"Yeah." She echoed softly. "Missed it. Missed you."

"Could always go back to the hotel and get it out of our systems." She teased with a grin, though it faltered the moment she saw his expression cloud and darken. Hades drew away to arms length almost immediately. 

"---is that what you're after?"

"Hades, you know we've tried it before. We just - it's been a long time." She scrambled. "This - it's just passions runnin' high. We can get it out of our systems and go back to the way things were."

Persephone's stomach sank when those brows of his furrowed into a deep, scowling expression. She had said the wrong thing. Much as she wanted him, she knew from experience they didn't work out for long periods of time. Not with the demands their work gave, with their inability to communicate - Persephone had been hoping to have sex with him and be done with it - that maybe if they slept together things would be better, despite all previous experience pointing to the contrary. Was it alcohol talling? Likely. But it made sense in her head. The feelings were distracting and made her ache with heady need for her ex-husband. Now, clearly, it showed he did not think the same. 

"So, what? You intended to warm my bed and we go separate ways again?" He demanded softly. 

"We both need it. Things have been a mess lately and clearly we need to do  something about it." Persephone retorted sharply. "You know it as much as I do."

"Do I?" He narrowed his eyes, that facade sliding back into place across his face. "Fuck and call it a day, then?"

"Hades, that's not -"

"But it is." He cut across her, and his arms fell to his sides away from her waist. "Right. Just a phase, you say. But I will not be mounted like some stud horse to get whatever in your system out, as you put it."

" Hades \--"

"I would be happy to have you in my arms, Persephone. But not like this. You're worth better than that." 

She felt her heart drop into her stomach, bile choking her at the back of her throat. Oh no. Shame and guilt curdled like sour milk within her belly. Her chest ached.  Deserved ? It wasn't about what she deserved. They needed this, she'd convinced herself. A good fuck and then life could go on. Persephone took a step toward him and he countered, narrowly avoiding a passing waiter. 

"What? Am I not good enough for you anymore?" She shot at him. His expression showed pain. Briefly. 

"More than. But I will not be your stud horse. Not like this." He murmured. "You deserve to be loved. Properly."

She laughed sardonically. "And you didn't."

"No. I didn't." He might as well have slapped her. "But I would. Given the chance again. But I will not have you use me, or yourself like this." He swallowed thickly. She could see it. He was struggling with some inner demon. Did he want her? She'd be blind not to see it. But he was holding back. Damn that gentleman way of his. Her chest constricted with anger and rejection, coupled with a storm of other emotions she couldn't be bothered to name. Breathing hard, Persephone took half a step back, face hot. Embarrassed. Hades made as if to follow or apologize but she gave a sharp shake of her head.

"It's fine. Stupid idea. Just drunk me talkin'." She mumbled. As if the wind had been knocked from her sails. She was not drunk, and as she'd said, it had sounded decent in her head. There wasn't time to unpack years of emotional baggage, words both said and not. It was easier to solve issues without talking, and she'd be a liar if she said she hadn't missed his company warming her bed. 

Of all the people to reject her - she hadn't expected it from him. 

"Thank you for the dance." She added, coming back to her senses, back to reality. Her hands had fisted great handfuls of fabric of her dress, clenching and unclenching. Her stomach twisted into knots. 

"I don't want you to regret spending the evening with me." He replied slowly. "I want - I would - but not now. Not like this."

She was only half listening. Feeling her eyes burn for whatever stupid reason, Persephone gave a muttered excuse for fresh air and turned sharply to make her escape. Whether he followed, she didn't know. Didn't care. She just wanted out. Away from people before her chest constricted any more or her eyes betrayed her. She wasn't supposed to care. Not one bit. 

So why did it hurt so much?

Trying to remember how to breathe, she worked her way through music industry elite and tried to keep her head down. Not be noticed. Escaping into a hallway, she followed the carpet until she hit wall, and fumbled for her mobile, which had exploded with notifications. Vision blurring from her tears, she leaned against the wall and opened it to another tidal wave of notifications from a variety of social media's. Old hat for after awards ceremonies - and then she noticed through wet eyes his name, too. Together. With hers. 

She tapped through and saw why. 

A photo, on Instagram. Of them on the dance floor. Mid-kiss. Minutes ago. Mocking her. 

Persephone cried, and refused the urge to throw the damn phone against the ground. Her dress felt too tight. Everything felt like it was falling apart - and she was furious that such a little thing had sent her spiraling. Hades had never rejected her. But it shouldn't have mattered. They were divorced. He had every right. And yet it stung more than as of he had physically hit her. 

Her phone rang, and Eurydice's name popped up. She almost didn't answer. She shouldn't have.

" Seph! Where are you? Orpheus is tryin' to find Hades - we decided to take you up on your idea! We're going to Vegas to get married. Tonight. It's insane, I know - but would you come? With us? Please?"

Persephone swallowed back her pride, and her tears, and tried to sound as cheerful as possible. 

"That's great, chickadee. Yeah. Yes. Of course I'll come."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)


	6. chapter six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! All mistakes are mine.

Persephone hated Vegas.

The neon lights, the noise, the vague smell of industrialization - she hated all of it. She tolerated it for venues, but she was certainly not the type to willingly live in such a place. It's why she had never moved to a larger city even before now - she usually rented short term things outside the city limits when she needed to be in a place for too long and commuted into downtown. But Vegas seemed to stretch on forever in the darkness - only tolerable if she had alcohol in her system. Thankfully, a wedding was just the excuse she needed. 

It was  _ who-the-hell-knew _ late. Or early, really. Didn't matter. Elvis kept his chapel open twenty four seven apparently, and had been all too happy to welcome Orpheus and Eurydice and marry them, still wearing their clothes from the awards show. No bouquet, so Eurydice had carried their award down the 'aisle' and Persephone had dutifully held it while they exchanged rings - which were nothing fancy, but the pair didn't seem to care. Blinded by love for each other, they just wanted to spend their lives together. Didn't need a fancy wedding to do so - as strange as it all was, it suited them. Persephone was beaming when they finished, kissed, and looked intoxicated by each other more than anything liquor could offer. 

While the wedding had been rushed, Persephone had managed a bit of a present for them - an executive suite in one of the hotels on the strip, with flowers and chocolate and champagne delivered to them, the works. It was perfect timing in truth; they had a day between then and the next concert, which by some miracle was in Vegas. They'd have time to enjoy being married. 

Maybe that had been her problem. She and Hades hadn't given themselves time to enjoy being married before it all dissolved into hell. 

With the newlyweds doing what newlyweds did, Persephone had taken up residence at one of the many hotel bars. Slot machines rang with music and lights beyond, but the bar was thankfully dim and dark and cool, and she was less likely to be recognized - which was fine by her. She'd not changed which made her look a touch out of place, but she didn't give a damn. One of her permanent shadows of a bodyguard was near by if anyone got any ideas. Besides, she'd picked the far corner of the bar to nurse her whiskey with still no thought or care to what time it was. She'd pay for it by morning surely. 

Despite her happiness at the spur of the moment wedding and the joy she had for Orpheus and Eurydice, there was still a dark bitterness in her chest that  _ ached _ . Gods. What an idiot she was, asking him outright. How stupid could she have been to assume that was what he wanted? She'd been so sure. So certain. Had felt it, when she'd kissed him. When every moment with him had been charged with that damn energy. She swore quietly to herself and downed the rest of her drink: the bartender refilled it immediately. Dejected was not a good feeling. She felt sick. Another large gulp of whiskey. 

"Bad night at the tables?"

She glanced up, ready to tell off whoever it was - a handsome, youthful man with dirty blonde curls and bright eyes and a charming grin that might have disarmed anyone else. Her bodyguard shifted at the corner of her eye and she waved her hand at him. 

"He's fine, Heph." Persephone tilted her head. "Not quite. Can I help you?"

He shrugged. "Was wondering if you'd like company. Pity a pretty lady all by herself, even one as famous as you Lady Persephone." He gave a mock little bow that made her lips twitch. 

"Help yourself. Ain't my bar." She lifted her glass to her lips and took another swig. "Got a name?"

"Anteros." He mused, and took up the seat next to her. 

"You always approach half-drunk celebrities in bars, Anteros?" She arched a brow and he chuckled almost musically. He wasn't ugly, far from it. Older, yes, but there was still something boyish to his face that made him almost cute. He ordered a gin and tonic, and turned toward her on the barstool. 

"First time, actually. Figured we could mourn our losses together. Blackjack?"

"Not quite." She murmured, almost sourly. The pain in her chest stabbed again. She wanted nothing more than to rip it out, to stomp on it until it didn't hurt anymore. Would it be better then? If she couldn't feel things? The pain? Which she shouldn't have even felt in the first place. They were divorced. For a reason, too. She crunched loudly on one of the ice cubes in her drink, frustrated. Annoyed. 

Of course it hurt. Because she'd never stopped loving him. 

That thought struck her hard. Hard enough to swallow back the rest of her drink. Hard enough to give Anteros a half smile as the bartender refilled her drink. Again. Hard enough to make her angry with herself for not realizing it before, for not stomping the feeling out a long time ago. Much fighting as they'd done, it had been logical. 

But no. No. She could not still love him. Not now. Not again. The tour would finish, they would part. The farce would end. Yet the idea was - disappointing? Hades had rejected her though. 

_ You deserve better _ .

No. That was him. Hades deserved better than a washed up, former alcoholic with a temper problem. And while she still had ever ounce of urge to have him in her bed, she couldn't. Wouldn't. Her gaze resettled on Anteros' face, his smile, those eyes. Opposite Hades in every way, it seemed. Her blood boiled, warm and hot beneath her skin. Liquor flowed. Words flowed. Maybe she could get it out of her system still. Did it have to be Hades? It'd been so long since anyone warmed her bed. 

Another drink. More conversation. How long had his hand been at her knee? His head tilted toward her? Her smiles came easier. He made her laugh. 

He kissed differently than Hades. 

When he leaned forward she had, too. He tasted of gin and something else that was almost foreign. Probably her knowledge that he was too young. That she was using him. She would deal with the guilt later. 

Someone cleared their throat. Persephone drew back, and the flush of her cheeks crept higher up her face - but in anger. Silent, seething rage. 

"You should go to bed." Hades said, standing there. She could see the muscle jumping in his jaw from how hard his teeth were grinding together. Persephone narrowed her eyes. 

"You ain't the boss of me." She snarled, and it came out far more slurred than she intended. 

"I wasn't talking to you." Hades replied coolly, dark eyes narrowed at the boy. "Your parents never taught you not to take advantage of drunk women?"

"I am not drunk." Persephone protested, scrambling to her feet. The world tilted and her knees wobbled, but she made a fine attempt to hold herself up with the edge of the bar. Hades did not seem convinced. Or impressed. Damn. Had she drank that much? The world turned and her grip slackened - Hades reached out to grab for her and she took a quick step back - or tried to. Her dress caught beneath her feet and she tripped back into the bar with a painful hiss and muttered swear. 

"I'm going to take you upstairs." Hades made for her again and Persephone couldn't quite resist when he wrapped an arm around her waist and helped her stand upright. The world continued to spin. 

"I'm not drunk." She said again. Where had Anteros gone? Damn. Double damn. 

"You are. In a way you haven't been in a while."

"I ain't relapsed." She replied sharply. Though the thought was surely tempting. 

With no choice but to go with him, she half stumbled along at his side. His grip was firm to keep her as steady as possible as they headed for the elevators. What if someone saw? Not likely given the deserted lobby, but then again - who cared? She already had the picture of her and Hades kissing out on the internet, might as well have gone for being double as viral. Heph was following close behind, and pressed the button to call the elevator while Hades had his hands full with her. Thankfully it was empty when the doors slid open and they went- stumbled - inside. The car lurched and Persephone nearly went face first into the mirrored interior. 

"I can take myself to my room." She muttered again. "Since you ran off my date."

"Date? He was too young for you."

"How dare you ‐ who the hell are you to question my choices?"

"There are better options than a foolish boy like that." Hades rumbled. She snorted. 

"What? Like you? You already made your choice just fine." She scowled as the doors slid open again on their floor. She stumbled again, tripping off the elevator. Hades sighed heavily and the world twisted again - but not from the liquor. 

"What are you doing?!" She yelped, suddenly very much in Hades' arms. 

"Saving time." He adjusted his grip beneath her back and legs before they set off down the hall. Heph had already removed the key card from his pocket to access her room. Her head tilted up to stare at Hades; he was close enough that she could count the freckles on his face. Heph was being no help, his stoic expression the same as it always was. Persephone's head lulled back with the effort of holding it up. The several whiskeys were dragging her down, burning in the pit of her gut. Turbulent with the storm of emotions she was already fighting. Having Hades carry her to her damn room wasn't helping, either. 

Heph opened the door, and Hades carried her inside. Heph took up his usual place outside of the room, leaving her and Hades very much alone. Not how she planned on ending the night, especially when she knew he was likely to dump her on the bed and escape as fast as possible. 

"Can you stand?" He asked, gingerly setting her down. She nodded quickly. 

"Yeah - yeah - you didn't have to carry me up here. I would've been fine."

"Be thankful I didn't throw you over my shoulder and ruin your dress." He remarked, hands resting at her waist to steady her. She swayed a moment, before looking up at him again. His face swam into her vision and gods damn if she didn't still want to kiss him. Again. How had she ever come to hate him? 

She hadn't. They'd never hated each other entirely. Just fought. Nitpicked. They both had the temper from hell and those tempers had flared and clashed with passions running high as they soared in fame and fortune. It had happened to more than one couple in their line of work; they were one of many casualties. 

Her lips parted to say something, and she thought better of it. Best not to push it. The tour would end. They would end. Even in her drunken state she knew that. The cold logic of reality. Her stomach twisted and for a moment she wasn't sure she'd keep her liquid dinner down. 

"Did you bring a change of clothes?" He asked after a moment, clearing his throat. His tone was soft but those eyes - her own narrowed. 

"Hades - are you jealous?"

"Of your attempted conquest? Hardly."

"You are-"

"-I am not-"

"-I can see it in your eyes, don't you lie. You stepped in 'cause you were jealous!" She felt her earlier anger return. "How dare you!"

"Seph-"

She shoved him, or attempted to. She more shoved herself backward and collapsed on the edge of the mattress. 

"You won't sleep with me, but you can't stand it if someone else does - you - you - asshole!"

She didn't look at him. But if he was jealous - surely he cared still. Had he always cared, as she had? Clearly too afraid to admit it. Or she was making it all up. Given the haze in her head, it was entirely possible too. 

"Are you done?" He asked, patiently. Her upper lip curled. It made her all the more that he wasn't angry. 

"Go away." She scowled. When she chanced a glance, that muscle in his jaw was jumping again. Those eyes went as black as coal. Her heart skipped a beat or three. 

"Not until you're in bed."

"I am in bed. I'm a grown ass woman. If I wanted a minder I'd go back to my momma." 

He sighed and went to the bag she'd brought, rummaging through it without a care. She didn't stop him, just watched with narrowed eyes and tried to steady the world around herself. He grabbed one of her old shirts and the bottoms she'd brought along to sleep in, and crossed back toward her. 

Persephone stared, frowning. Then looked down at her lap. 

"---I need help with the zipper."

It was a monumental effort to admit it, but he gestured for her to turn. She obeyed, and his warm fingers trailed a path down her spine as he unzipped her from the dress. She swallowed back her anger and pride and every other terrible feeling. It was just a zipper. Didn't mean anything. Friends did it for friends. Were they friends? Coworkers? Strangers?

She stood unsteadily and kicked her shoes away, Hades holding quietly to her waist. In truth, they had spent several nights early in their relationship like that, him taking care of her after she got far too drunk. Usually she was far more useless, nearly blackout drunk. She let the fabric of her dress peel away from her flushed skin, grateful to have the logic of wearing undergarments (she didn't always, in truth). Hades showed no change, only carefully helping her into far more comfortable clothes with a gentle hand. If his fingers brushed her skin and lingered in places here or there, she tried not to notice. Or rather, pretended it was another imaginary thought. It was easier that way. 

She felt like a hot mess. Emotionally. Physically. She reached up and unclipped her hair, ruffling the curls free. Hades took a respectful step back. 

"Have you eaten?"

He blinked. Persephone had asked without thinking. That had been a habit of theirs, too. Eating after she had recovered some of her sobriety, usually at ungodly hours of the morning. 

"I'm starvin'. I know your habit of not eatin' a damn thing." She muttered, the words too late to take back. Even if she wanted to. "Sit. I'll call room service. I want waffles."

Hades look skeptical, and she saw him swallow thickly. Then, he quietly unbuttoned his blazer and draped it over the sofa. Was it an excuse to spend more time with him? Not intentionally. But she couldn't take it if he went back to the bar downstairs - there might have been a lady or - gods, she was just as bad as he was. She had no room to be angry. She'd nearly had a fit over a girl who had been his niece for shit's sake. 

Weren't they a fine ass mess?

She rolled across the bed to the phone, blinked at the vibrating numbers on the phone until they steadied, and punched in the front desk (she couldn't be bothered trying to dig out the actual room service number). 

Persephone settled in the middle of the bed, legs crossed as she studied Hades; he'd gone to the window while she had ordered, and had even rolled up the sleeves of his button up. She could see the filament thin stripes that ran the length of his waistcoat now that he had shed the blazer, glittering like diamonds in a sea of black coal. He'd always looked handsome in those pinstripes, her man. 

_ No. Not your man. _

She ran a hand across her face in silent frustration and ire. 

Could he be again? Her man? 

The time so far together on tour had been tolerable. Enjoyable. Few bumps here or there. But those kids, Orpheus and Eurydice - they'd managed, hadn't they? She'd never seen people so in love as those two. 

"I'm sorry." She said after another long moment of silence. Hades turned then, arching a brow. Asking her to elaborate. She fidgeted with the duvet. "For bein' a fool at the after party. You - I - just, I'm sorry."

He hummed in neither agreement or disagreement, but returned to the bed and sat on the edge. 

"Nothing to apologize for, Persephone. I should have been kinder about it." He rumbled. "But - I did mean it. You deserve better than that. Always have."

Oh no. He was getting sentimental. She bit hard in the inside of her cheek. 

"Funny, isn't it? We ain't fought the way we used to." She remarked quietly. "Least we ain't launched plates or nothin'."

Another hum, noncommittal. 

Persephone swallowed.

"You said - before, a while ago. Something about still tryin'. What did you mean by that?"

Persephone's issue with drinking and the aftermath usually meant her brain to mouth filter did not function. Or at least the part of her brain that gave a damn. She hated herself the minute the words were outta her mouth, and his expression schooled itself into a facade of indifference. Tried to. She could see it in those eyes again. The softness. There was still some softie in there. 

"Before. When you were on tour, months at a time. It got to me. Couldn't stand bein' away from you. Tried to tell you more than once. Wasn't any good at it." Hades said quietly. "And you were gettin' more and more famous and away longer and longer. It just - grated on me. Figured you were off in the arms of others but mine."

Persephone looked down at her hands in her lap. "You should have trusted me, Hades."

"I know. But - this tour, when you invited me along because of those two songbirds of mine, I figured - well, figured I could prove to handle it. Like I should have a long time ago. But it's been a damned comedy of errors since the start."

Persephone's breath caught in her throat. 

"Why?" She asked in a quiet murmur, and his straight facade faltered. She saw it, for a fraction of a moment. A sliver of emotion. 

He loved her. Still loved her.

"Hades -" She began, but a knock at the door ended the conversation rather quickly. He stood and answered, and Persephone tried to settle her aching heart. He still loved her. He still loved her. She swallowed back any biting remarks or words - afraid to shatter the vulnerable admission he had made. They'd never been good at communicating so to speak. Not through words, which is what relationships needed to flourish. A myriad of other circumstances had led to the end of things. They had been young. Foolish. Thorned like the rose bushes in her momma's garden. 

He returned, trailed after by a man in uniform wheeling in their cart of ordered food. 

They didn't return to that conversation; he seemed eager not to, and they dug into their plates to the sounds of whatever B-rated movie the television had available. Commenting on the bad acting and CGI with the occasional mention of the tour, and its ending. They didn't mention how close to ending it was, however, how long before they would go their separate ways again. But he smiled, she laughed, and things were at least, peaceful. 

She wasn't sure what time she passed out, or when he'd picked up their plates and put them back on the cart to be returned. When she woke with her face pressed against her pillow and an aching headache, Persephone groaned. Everything ached. 

The curtains had been drawn, the room left in a dim light that helped make it easier for her to roll over to see what time it was. Squinting first at the digital clock, she spotted a bottle of water and several packets of aspirin with it. 

Right next to a single red carnation.

_ Gods above. _


	7. chapter seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any errors are my own. I wrote this hard and fast. Please enjoy!

Something had changed. 

As the tour fully resumed its loop back toward the east coast, Hades more readily joined she, Orpheus, and Eurydice for dinner or lunch or midnight diner coffee. With Orpheus and Eurydice so full of their happiness at their marriage and still riding the high, it was impossible to  _ not _ be infected by it. Quiet glances between Persephone and Hades, soft touches of hands that lingered longer than needed. She tried not to get attached or put too much thought into it. 

Their marriage had not worked out for a reason. It had started in a similar fashion, those stolen glances and the like. They'd fallen in love quickly once it had started - and now they were already in love and Persephone was having a harder and harder time reminding herself that they couldn't go through it again. However much they flirted and teased and were inclined to anything else, it would wear off as it had before. Dissolve into scathing remarks and vicious fights. They'd been down that damn road before, and Persephone couldn't fathom the thought of doing it again. 

Still, her heart ached. 

Thankfully, news of Orpheus and Eurydice's shotgun wedding had overshadowed their viral kissing photo on Instagram. The one time social media had worked in her favor. Better if people didn't think there would be something between her and Hades. No use in giving them ideas - or herself. Or him. Or anyone. Gods above it was like she'd lost half her senses. Sighing, she rubbed the bridge of her nose fiercely before sinking her fingers back into Cerberus' fur. 

"Your momma's lost her mind, Cerb." She murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of the dog's head. "Any advice?"

Cerberus pressed a cold, wet nose to her chin before that tongue swiped across her face in what she could only assume was encouragement. 

"Thanks. You're a great help." She smiled, chuckling softly. She straightened, stretching across the sofa of her dressing room. Madison Square Gardens had not skipped out on the amenities. But it also meant it would be the last show. 

Potentially her last show forever. 

Quite frankly, she still hadn't made up her mind. She thrived off the adrenaline and delight of live events and surely yes, she could still perform - but not to that level. Sold out stadiums and the like. She missed the quiet, intimate settings of smaller venues - backroom bars, college lawns, and wherever else they could manage. The music industry had demanded more and she had given it - and while she adored and felt more than grateful for her fans, it was exhausting. Draining. Not at all like when she'd started, half written songs on scraps of napkin and melodies plucked with calloused fingers on a borrowed guitar. 

"Maybe I retire and we go find a farm in the middle of nowhere. Plenty of room. Some chickens. A garden. Would you like that?" She glanced back at Cerberus, who seemed to sigh and roll those big dark eyes toward her. "Don't you give me that look."

Cerberus made a noise somewhere in his throat. 

"And now backtalkin'? Oughta ground you." She ruffled the fur at his neck before she stood and returned to the mirror to resume getting ready. Dragging on the usual warpaint that would be sweated off by the end of the night. Humming faintly, she swept her hair up and out of her face and regarded herself in the mirror for another long moment. Was she really so old? She felt like it most days. Maybe she'd dye her hair blue or something wild. 

There was a sharp knock at her door.

"It's open!"

One of the venue team members cracked the door open, offering a smile in greeting. 

"Just a delivery, ma'am."

She quirked a brow. Usually they took everything to her tour bus for the sake of practicality. She turned, mouth half opened to ask - and then she noticed what the young man held. A dozen, vibrantly red carnations in a beautiful bouquet. 

"Thank you." She murmured, and took hold of them. There wasn't a card - she didn't need one to know who they were from. The young man nodded and left, the door closing behind. She buried her nose in the flowers, admiring their scent. She smiled to herself. Considering, she took one of the flowers and tucked it behind her ear, into her hair. The rest she sat carefully on the dressing room table, swallowing her heart as it leapt upward. She stared at the bouquet for a moment more, feeling bile rising in the back of her throat. 

"Was it a mistake, Cerb?" She whispered, frowning. "Us not tryin'?" The dog didn't dignify her with a response. Could they still try? 

" _ Ten minutes until places, please _ ." A voice crackled through the speaker in the ceiling. 

She hadn't seen Hades since that morning. But maybe they could talk after the show. About - everything, really. The conversation they'd been putting off for so long. Maybe over drinks, though she wanted to stay mostly sober if they were gonna go down that road. He had never liked her drinking.  _ She _ had never liked her drinking. Her fingers drummed against her thigh. Vaguely she wondered if Eurydice and Orpheus would have advice - which, she hadn't seen either of them since that morning either. Not that it was a bother - they all planned to go out after the show to celebrate the end of a successful tour. 

Giving Cerberus another kiss to his head and glancing at herself one more time in the mirror, Persephone tried to quell her storm of thoughts as she ascended the stairs toward backstage. She had a tendency to shut out her thoughts about everything but her performing when she walked on stage, but that night they wouldn't leave. Wouldn't be held back from the veritable dam built in her mind. 

_ Last show. Make it count _ .

And she would. 

The crowd themselves were in a frenzy, loud and cheering and singing. Persephone felt it rush over her like a tidal wave from the second she walked out. Her smile was not so forced, and by the time she slung her guitar across her to play, her body hummed with the electric energy in the air. It was easy to forget, then. She let herself be lost in the power of it, the world beyond fading away. 

This. This was why she'd fallen in love with music so fiercely. 

Hades gave her the same feeling. When they'd first met, and now. 

_ Now _ .

They needed that talk, clearly. 

At the end of her set, the usual fare was for Orpheus and Eurydice to perform, and then she would rejoin them on stage for a final number. That night was certainly no different; Persephone lingered in the wings with a bottle of water to watch them. Yeah, they'd deserved their award. Deserved all of them. The power in Orpheus' playing and Eurydice's clear voice harmonizing with his reminded her of a dance. Their voices wove around each other, dipping in and out of melodies with such grace and ease. Hypnotic, almost. 

Almost to the point that she missed it when they began to deviate. 

She knew their song list by heart, so when they stopped after the second to last one, it brought her attention sharply into focus. 

". . . so we usually start our last song right about now, but since it's our last show, we thought we'd do something different." Eurydice was saying. "Wasn't sure of what, but then something fell into our laps. And I should preface this by sayin' this definitely wasn't our idea, but that of our special guest."

There was a loud roar from the crowd, and Persephone crept closer to the edge of the stage to see better. She felt her heart stop. 

"I ain't sang or played in a long time -" Hades' voice echoed from the microphone in his hand, a guitar hanging at his neck. 

"Did dinosaurs come to your shows?" Eurydice cut across, laughing. She heard Hades' rumbling laugh as well, nearly drowned by the laughter of the audience. 

"--you always cut across your guest performers?" Hades remarked. 

"Only the old as hell ones."

Hades shot her a bemused look - well, from what Persephone could tell. It was hard to see anything from her place with how large the stage was, how far forward it went. She could hear clearly though, even over the roar of her own unsteady heartbeat in her ears. He wasn't- he couldn't-

"I just got one song. Well, part of a song. I wrote it a long time ago and never finished. It ain't got lyrics, so if you all will indulge me, I'd like to play it." A pause. "It's a promise, this song."

Persephone felt as if the floor had disappeared from beneath her. The crowd seemed happy to play along at the derailment, and as Hades plucked a few notes, the venue silenced. Always commander of a room, Hades. Even ones with thousands of people inside. 

She recognized the melody he began to play immediately. The one he'd written for her way back when. The one half finished on the folded piece of paper in his jacket pocket. She covered her mouth with her hand, a whirlwind of emotions tangling up somewhere in her middle. Confusion. What in hell was he doing? Why?

_ It's a promise, this song. _

_ You think you're the only one trying? _

Oh. 

Oh, gods. 

Persephone felt her eyes burn, the melody rolling across her. Sinking into her bones. Her very essence. As it had the first time he had played it for her. As it always would. 

A second guitar joined; Orpheus played along in harmony, doubling the melody quietly. Persephone had said to hell with the curtains and stepped partially into view, just to see them. To see him. Hades' back was to her as he played, though fingers striking chords with ease. As if he never stopped playing. Had he? She felt as though she might suffocate at any moment. 

And then, he sang.

Not words, just nonsense notes. 

" _ La, la, la, la, la, la, la . . . " _

After the first few times, Orpheus joined in. So did Eurydice. The three of them singing nonsense notes with their clear tones. Orpheus made a motion as if to encourage it - and then the first few audience members started to sing, too. 

Within moments, the entire venue was singing the melody. That song. It echoed through the walls, across the chairs and stage and straight into her heart. Her body hummed with it, the energy of it. The power. The emotion. It soared to the rafters and beyond. 

_ La, la, la, la, la, la, la.  _

Her eyes burned. Blurred. Her lungs constricted. 

A promise. A promise to try again. 

"La, la, la, la, la, la, la. . . " She sang quietly, inching further onto the stage. Into the lights. Crying, like a damn fool on stage in front of thousands of people singing a melody her ex-husband wrote for her. She wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all, but she could only  _ feel _ . Every ounce of the emotion portrayed in the melody, in the voices - but she could pick his out above all the others, powered by the microphone. 

She walked further into the light, toward him. Eurydice had noticed and stopped singing, and Orpheus faded then too, but kept playing the guitar. Persephone could only see Hades' backside, watching as if he bore some invisible burden but was in the process of freeing it. 

As he slowed his playing, the crowd faded in singing too until it was just the two guitars playing the melody, weaving in the last few notes as they rang out. Hades had not noticed her. 

"La, la, la, la, la, la, la." She sang, heard her own voice echo in the speakers; one of the techs had made her microphone live. Hades' fingers stilled and her voice wavered on the last note. 

He turned, and Persephone gave a watery smile. 

"You really should finish that song." She said slowly. "Will you?"

"Could use help." He rumbled, and she bit down hard on the inside of her cheek. "I'd get down on a knee if I wasn't afraid of gettin' stuck."

She laughed, and took another few steps to close the distance between them. 

"D'you mean it?"

"Would I be makin' a fool outta myself out here otherwise?" Hades' lips twitched. 

Persephone felt something in her  _ snap _ . She closed the rest of the distance between them, snagging the strap of his guitar to drag his mouth to her own. There was a loud screech of microphone feedback as their mics bumped, before the roar of the crowd reminded her they were defintely not alone. She felt him tense, but didn't let him pull away and instead pressed their foreheads together. 

"You and me. We gonna try again?" She asked softly, grateful this moment was just between them. Hades reached up to cup her face on their upstage side, thumb brushing along her cheek. 

"I'd like that." He murmured. 

"I'd like that." She echoed, and grinned before she kissed him again and let the roar of the audience wash away. 

The world could wait. It'd be on TMZ before morning, anyway. 


	8. epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end! A short little tag for a story that has been mega fun to write. I'm not done in this verse - I'll definitely be writing more. But I hope you've enjoyed this far!
> 
> Come say hi to me on tumblr! ourladyoftheundcrground.tumblr.com. I take prompts and love to yell about these two idiots all day long. 
> 
> Thank you again for anyone who's read this far! Your readership means everything to me.

_ There are many hidden places around the city, pockets of quiet and peace that are like a whole world away from the concrete jungles and skyscrapers that seem endless. I haven't been out of the city in a while, and definitely not to a place like this. The driveway I turn down is paved, but lined with the same thick trees that had sheltered the main highway. Privacy, which is a rare thing these days. The house the drive leads to is - well, not what one would expect when going to interview a celebrity. It isn't a mansion or sprawling estate, but something almost  _ normal _ with both modern and rustic touches. It's a strange combination, but beautiful in a way I can only marvel at as I get out of the car.  _

_ To my surprise, it's not Hades or Persephone that greet me, it's Hermes, with a bright smile and a warm handshake (and yes, that smile is far more stunning in person). He explains that everyone is around back, and he gestures to a path around the side of the house through a garden gate. I admire more of the property - I can't blame veritable royalty of the music industry for finding a place secluded and quiet. Heck, if the commute to work everyday wouldn't kill my car, I'd have moved to a place like this a while ago.  _

_ Hermes chatters away as we walk, animated and buzzing with the same energy he hosts his evening show with. Its contagious and I'm grinning like an idiot as we pass through a side gate and follow the path around the side of the house. I'm immediately floored by what greets me in the back yard. No, it's not the lavish pool or patio or the typical fare, it's something as unexpected as it gets: a garden, that would be right at home in a botanical exhibit. Lush, vibrant colors that don't seem possible in an artistic array of flowers and bushes and I'm pretty sure there's fruit trees. If Eden exists, its here. All of it overlooks the valley below. I can only hope my photos give it a portion of the justice it deserves (see page 3).  _

_ Persephone is, of course, in the midst of it. A far cry from the stage, she's in dirt covered overalls and trimming delicate plants (hibiscus she tells me later) and their stems. Hermes calls out and she smiles and everything is a blur of greetings and smiles. A dog barks somewhere behind us and when I turn, I'm nearly bowled over by the great black companion of Persephone - her dog Cerberus, who looks more terrifying than what he acts. His greeting is the best of all, until a sharp whistle calls him to heel. We look up and there's Hades himself descending the steps of the back porch. Cerberus sits upright at once as Hades joins the little gathering. More greetings (let's be real, greetings aren't the reason you're reading this so I'm skipping them). _

_ Hermes disappears inside - apparently Eurydice and Orpheus are due anytime and he has business to tend to - whatever that business is. Hades, Persephone, and I end up on the porch overlooking the garden. The couple end up on the swing, Persephone's legs thrown across his. I sit nearby. There's ice cold glasses of lemonade, and I have to say it's the most informal interview I've ever had. They seem perfectly at home however, hands laced together. Marriage for the second time around seems to suit them (which, if you haven't seen the photos from that event nearly a year ago, I'll link to my blog about it - that wedding dress still makes me green with envy).  _

_ "You have a beautiful home. Quiet. Is it hard being out of the city?" _

_ "Not at all. Not for me." Persephone smiles. She radiates like the sun itself (I'm contractually obligated to write that about her every article I do). "Hades can do a lot of his work from home. We make city trips here or there, but we like the quiet. And I like my garden." _

_ "I literally feel like I walked into a palace garden. You do it all yourself?" _

_ "Mostly. Keeps me busy in retirement." _

_ "Speaking of - you've been teasing us with that announcement. Is it true you're retiring in full?" _

_ "Oh, I wouldn't say in full. I still write music. Lot of inspiration these days. And I help with his work every once in a while. Scout new talents. But I won't be going on tour again anytime soon."  _

_ Cerberus, who had been laying at my feet, jumps up and wedges himself into the swing with his owners, pressed between Hades and the arm of the swing. The entire thing rocks for a moment as the dog adjusts - it's a comical scene. Domestic. I feel honored to even have a glimpse of these two and their home life, not to mention being able to share it with all of you. Persephone drops a kiss to the borzoi's head and returns her attention to me. Hades hasn't spoken yet, but the hand not wrapped in his wife's tangles in the dog's fur.  _

_ "Have you thought of returning to music, Hades? Writing it or performing?" _

_ "Writing, yes." He rumbles, and there's a flicker of a smile instead of that stern facade. "Performing, no." _

_ "He reserves that for me." Persephone adds with a grin.  _

_ "How can we forget?" That concert is still trending in #relationshipgoals (and if you don't know what I'm talking about, YouTube it immediately). "Any projects we can look forward to coming from either of you?" _

_ Persephone and Hades exchange a look with one another. A silent conversation passes between them in a split second, and its fascinating to watch.  _

_ "Mostly little things. Not sure we'll release them because they're not our usual fare." Hades says after another moment.  _

_ "Lullabies." Persephone adds. I'm embarrassed to admit I make an inhuman noise. Watch this space for #sephadesbaby, everyone. It'll be all I talk about for the next nine months.  _

_ "That's so amazing! Congratulations!" _

_ "Thank you." Persephone radiates even more now. Even Hades looks warmer than before, but I can see the worry too. During their first marriage together, Persephone wrote a heartbreaking open letter detailing their struggles with two miscarriages. This means all the more to them, and I'm sure I speak for everyone in wishing them well.  _

_ "I won't press for details - yet. I want to go back a bit: you mentioned something about scouting new talent. Does that mean your proteges are retiring too?" _

_ "Orpheus and Eurydice? Oh, of course not. They come by every other day when they can. But they're very busy being famous and whatnot. I think they already announced their second album release - if not, oops. I spoiled it. Sorry, darlin's." _

_ "They announced it last week, you're safe." I assure. "I've brought along some questions from some of your fans, if you're feeling up to it." _

_ Persephone nods and squeezes her husband's hand as if to assure him. He's attentive to her, it's easy to notice. Even if he tries to hide it. Ladies (and men, if you want) get you a man who looks and acts like Hades does to Persephone. You won't regret it. If he doesn't make undying confessions of love with a song he's written himself in the middle of a sold out concert, he's not for you.  _

_ "What's the hardest thing about writing for you?" _

_ "Is that for me or Hades?" _

_ "Both, if you'd like." _

_ "For me, it's finding the right melody. I always end up starting with lyrics, and the notes find their way to me. I have notebooks and paper scraps filled with poems I've wanted to turn to song where the melody just ain't come to me yet." She looks over at Hades, who arches a brow. Another silent conversation plays out.  _

_ "I'm the opposite." He answers, and smiles faintly like there's some inside joke. "I think of melodies before lyrics. Never been good at putting feelings or thoughts into words. Always sounded better as music." _

_ They're literally made for each other, folks.  _

_ "And what is your favorite part of your work?" _

_ "The fans." Persephone answers.  _

_ "My wife." Hades replies and Persephone elbows him with a laugh.  _

_ "You giant sap." _

_ "I am not. Don't print that. It'll ruin my reputation." _

_ Too late. I'll gladly take the consequences if you're reading this, Hades. The world should know - as if they already don't - how much you love your wife.  _

_ I share more questions and they answer - the full fan question Q & A will be at the end of this article, along with the entire photo series of their home and gardens and literally anything else. Probably way too much content because like you, readers, I can't get enough of these two.  _

_ Our interview is interrupted by a clatter of noise and the backdoor opens swiftly as Orpheus and Eurydice pile through laughing, Hermes trailing after them. The whole gang together. Our time comes to an end, then. I'm grateful to have spent time here, and hopefully I'll be invited back.  _

_ For now, I end here. Their story isn't a traditional Hollywood romance - but who's is? Instead, it seems to be an adventure all itself. A story. One I'm sure their child (children?) will enjoy hearing, one day. They've found their peace in the industry and made a sanctuary beautiful as anything, which might be the key for surviving the perils of the industry. It's clear they love each other - as if any of us ever doubted it, even when things got choppy around the divorce bit. We don't talk about those dark days anymore.  _

_ While there are no concrete music projects ahead of this pair, we haven't seen the last of them by far. Powerhouses in their own right, Hades and Persephone will endure. They seem confident in that, in themselves, and so do their fans, their industry family.  _

_ Seriously. #relationshipgoals _

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> so a bit of a strange chapter that is gonna serve as an intro/prologue! just to introduce things.


End file.
